


꧁ 𝐉✴𝐣✴'𝐬 𝐁𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 :  𝓒𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓷 𝓢𝓴𝔂 ༻

by Burning_Bluejays



Series: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Carnelian Sky [1]
Category: Jojo's Bizarre, ジョジョの奇妙な冒険 | JoJo no Kimyou na Bouken | JoJo's Bizarre Adventure
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, F/F, F/M, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Other, Racism, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-08-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:35:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 40,501
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25310974
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burning_Bluejays/pseuds/Burning_Bluejays
Summary: Four Stand users team up to discover the truth behind the recent surge in Stand activity as well as a new enemy, Beats and Rhymes. These creatures and enemy Stand Users hunt down fledgling Stand Users in the hopes of taking their power for themselves to grow stronger. For what purpose, they venture out to discover.
Series: Jojo's Bizarre Adventure: Carnelian Sky [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1833364
Kudos: 4





	1. No One Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two people discover the power of Stands. With enemy Stand Users on their trail, hunted for their power, they leave their homes and families behind in search of the enigmatic Standing Foundation to learn the truth behind where their powers came from and why they're being hunted.

The car revved and they were pulling out of a small driveway, down a small street through a small town. Ven held Lorne’s hand, unsure what to say or what to do. They’d be heading north for a while, maybe get to the Canadian border before sneaking through. They could have a new life. A good one. Maybe find a little cottage or something in the woods to take over. A life where Lorne didn’t have to hide the bruises on their neck. A life where Lorne wasn’t afraid to tell him what happened out in the park that day. One where Ven didn’t have to worry around the clock. One where he didn’t panic over their safety every ten minutes.

It wouldn’t be hard, to start a new life with these new powers. At first, Ven thought it was some kind of evil spirit possessing him, but after what happened in the woods that day… Well, it was better not to think back on it. They both knew only a few things for certain at the moment.

Firstly, they knew that these were powers granted to them somehow, that they were the manifestation of their fighting spirit. These powers were called Stands. Secondly, they knew that someone was after them for this power. Lorne was convinced it was one singular entity controlling the goons that approached them. Their families had not been hurt, but for how long could they rely on that? Lastly, they knew that somewhere there was a group of people with similar powers, but if they were good or bad, they didn’t know. For now, all they could do was get away to keep their families safe, to keep themselves safe.

With a thousand dollars in cash, a couple hundred would be for gas and the rest would be for food, water and lodging if needed. With his new powers, Ven was able to convince a rental agent to give them a car. This would never have been possible before their Stands awoke. He wasn’t exactly sure how he did it, he was just sure that he could. He’d been particularly good at influencing people since that little squid looking plushy thing appeared. It sat comfortably in Lorne’s arms, wrapped up in its little charcoal grey and green stitched cloak, its squid like beard tucked under the hood that obscured its full visage. It was, of course, living, although it didn't eat, not that he knew of anyway. It seemed to cling to Lorne like a pet. If he hadn’t found the little guy one morning before going to see Lorne, he may have believed it was Lorne’s Stand instead. He had yet to see theirs, but Lorne could see his, so they must have one of their own... _Right?_

They squeezed his hand, shifting in their seat.

“How far until we ditch our phones?” Lorne’s broken voice cracked through the hum of the engine.

“Uh we should stop in Vermont, I think.”

“Not far. I-“ Lorne stopped for a second, “sorry.” They looked out the window and pulled their hand away slowly.

Into a rented locker they tossed in their phones, ID’s, bankcards, anything identifying about them. It had been an idea they decided on together, in the event that they could return. The locker would be paid for three years in advanced by in cash Ven had been able to obtain. Lorne wiped away a tear as they sent one last text message to their family. They kept only cash on them, and there wasn’t any problem with security cameras. Their little friend, the adorable illithid looking creature had a way of disabling cameras, microphones, creating static to cover them. Nobody knew about its appearance either, ignoring it outright and never bringing it up, as if it didn’t exist at all to the world. But, they knew it existed.

“Heads up.” Lorne whispered to Ven, both turning to look at a man in an orange windbreaker jacket and matching parachute pants. They instantly knew that this wasn’t just a person. Lorne shut their locker and grabbed their face, the metal beads in their beard clacking against one another as they prepared for an attack. Ven placed a hand on their shoulder and winked at their little partner, taking its cue and hopping halfway towards the bench. The man in the orange outfit got up, marched over to the creature and grinned, lifting their foot to smash down.  


ゴゴゴゴ

“「Nobody Knows.」” Ven commanded and the tiny illithid vanished, the orange man pausing, puzzled. Then, he fell to the ground, a bump swelling on the back of their head. People gasped and gathered around, somebody screaming for help while the two made their way out, Nobody Knows in Lorne’s arms.

“They found us.”

“No they couldn’t have, he didn’t speak on a radio or a phone or anything, I checked his memory,” Ven thought about saying it, maybe to cheer up Lorne, “There wasn’t much going on up there, mostly just cobwebs.” Lorne looked like they wanted to smile, but hid away their face. They continued north.

In a little restaurant somewhere near the Canadian border, Ven convinced a man to buy them both breakfast using Nobody Knows’ power. Their patron for the morning was also convinced to give them money for the road. As they left, the restaurant hadn’t remembered seeing anyone with him, and they had to call the police when the man refused to pay his bill, claiming, “My money is gone! How can I pay without money?!”

Lorne didn’t care much about the result of a single sleazy snake-oil salesman getting in trouble. They wanted to forget their own powers and by extension ward off these strange people with just as strange powers. They often turned to Ven for comfort, but right now, there was no comfort for either of them. On the run, leaving their families behind. The whispers in their ears.

Ven didn’t know any other way. There had been no other way to protect their families with these powers, as they were now. He hoped now that they could find one of these groups of similarly cursed people and seek help. Maybe they could get rid of these powers. Maybe they could go back to their normal lives.

They couldn’t see the sunrise over the trees. Somewhere between Canada and New Hampshire, although they were certain that it was beautiful. They returned the rental car and got some intel from town about a secret path somewhere further north that wasn’t watched very frequently. Once they gathered enough information with Ven’s power they were able to locate an old trail only available in an old paper map of the town. The route itself was timeworn and mostly covered in shrubbery, but the dirt showed them the way, where the moss parted and ferns grew out of the footprints of the past. They walked on for hours, only stopping to drink some water and eat a snack. It wasn’t until they reached the stony incline of a forested mountain did they finally reach the presence of someone else.

Ven held out an arm to block Lorne, who exhausted and dehydrated had gone into autopilot. When they bumped into him, they both turned their eyes over to a tree, a twig snapping and they readied their Stands.

“Oh! Where you going?” From behind the tree a man stepped out, wearing some kind of jumpsuit, definitely not a member of boarder patrol, but for sure another Stand User.

“Just passing through. We lost our-“ Lorne began but was interrupted.

“Don’t give me that! I see that Stand you got!” His twisted and filthy finger pointed towards Nobody Knows who looked around and held a rounded hand to what could be considered their face.

“Listen, we don’t want any trouble-“ Lorne tried, the vagrant looked up to them, trying to decide something.

“Troubles what y’get out here, ‘specially with a weak Stand like that.” Narrowing his eyes, he licked his lips. “Pretty stupid to go out with your Stand showing, people can see whatchu got.”

“Yea, I suppose s-NOW!” Ven sent Nobody Knows leaping into the air and vanished again, the vagrant drawing his iron bar. Before he could charge and swing, there was a snap in the air, the vagrant falling. Lorne wasted no time, searching his pockets for anything helpful to them. They found a wallet with a little cash, an old flip phone and some kind of raw stone, but it was smooth like glass on certain sides.

“Is this obsidian?”

“Lorne, look.” Stuffing the stone into their pocket, Lorne turned back. Ven and his Stand pointed to a small rock formation with a shabby tent, a cooking fire that had gone out and a cooler. They hurried, grabbing two large water bottles and some snack bars. Taking only what they needed, they weren’t criminals after all. 「 _I’m not a criminal, right?_ 」

Marching and climbing through the woods, the smell of the trees reminded Ven of the day he found his Stand. It had been a rainy morning, just about three weeks ago. He had been stricken with headaches and migraines for a month before then, a strange and terrible affliction. Once his headaches broke he began to notice his dreams and nightmares were much more vivid than before. Sometimes of people he had never met before. But they were so realistic. It was like seeing into someone’s memories. He and Lorne had tossed a few ideas back and forth, perhaps it was spiritually related, maybe it was astral projection? Nothing quite seemed to fit the bill. Nothing quite explained precisely what was happening or why. Ven only knew that it wasn’t normal and that he would need to settle on the idea that it was a dream for now.

It was settled for a few days, until the appearance of Nobody Knows. In a place between dreams and awakenedness, Ven saw the figure of a person, a being. At first it was just in his dreams, he thought nothing of it, thinking it only as a dream. Lorne was not convinced. They had a feeling something was different about these dreams he was having recently. In trying to comfort him, they found themselves just as nervous as Ven, just as unsettled. An aura of some kind had begun to manifest around them. He even recalled waking up to a nightmare of being caught on fire, but he was still alight although the flames did not burn him. When the flames died down Ven managed to calm himself. Looking to the armchair across his room, he half expected to see a person, but instead there was a new plushy, something like a fantasy game mascot. It had the body of a teddy bear with scales instead of fur and a head under a charcoal cloak that resembled an octopus or a nautilus. It had piercing gold and blue-flecked eyes. Ven shrugged it off and left to Lorne’s house when it happened, but they weren’t home.

“Lorne went for a walk, he shouldn’t be too long. He’s usually back by now though.” Their mom smiled with a nervous glint in her eye and Ven nod, but something as strange as the nightmares happened, he heard her thoughts. 「Lorne is never this late from a walk.」 Deciding to put it out of his mind, he sat on the steps to the house and let the cool breeze blow over him. 「 _It’s all just from lack of sleep. Just a cold or something._ 」 He thought to himself as the scent of roses and lavender in bloom filled his lungs, closing his eyes to take it in.

「 _HELP ME!_ 」 The voice choked, it was as loud as if it had been beside his ear, a vision of Lorne on the ground, struggling. He tore off to the park. When he arrived, the birds sang a pretty song, flowers danced in the breeze. Ven took a moment, sighing and trying to decide if he had gone crazy. Then, there was a thumping noise nearby. Checking the rear view and jumping when his eyes found the same plushy, as the one in the chair back at home, in the back seat.「 _Get off of me!_ 」 Lorne’s voice, again in his head. There was no time to deal with one of his brother’s pranks! Dashing through the forest, over fallen logs and avoiding the rings of fungus, just as Lorne so often warned. There was a loud snap and burst somewhere ahead.

“Lorne!” Stomping through the mounds and cobwebs, something blew up ten feet below the hill he stood on. The deafening burst shocking him and Ven felt his foot slip. Sliding down a slick hill and crashing against the concrete path, his skin and bones burned and ached. His eyes refocused and he regained enough sense to hold himself up, his arms and legs scratched and scraped on broken bits of concrete. Looking up from the spot, he saw Lorne, surrounded by a mountain of blue and green flame, a turquoise bonfire burning through the early morning light. They stood with such confidence before the broken section of concrete, nothing but dirt and roots now. No matter how confident they appeared, no matter how high their aura fire burned, they were mortified, tears and blood running down their cheeks. Around their neck and arm were the deepest and darkest bruises Ven had ever seen before. It reminded him of a car accident patient he once tended to at work.

“Ven, you came.” It was all they could mutter before a small group of people arrived, some gasped and clutched their pearls, others began to shout, demanding what happened. Lorne turned on their heels and backed away. Struggling to get up, Ven looked over again and saw the strange plushy, this time it was walking! It had walked up beside Lorne, a jeweled twig in its rounded hand. Something in him shook as the crowd approached Lorne, closer and closer. Then, he noticed that they could not see it, the little octopus thing. They didn’t pay it any mind even as it stood between them and Lorne. He felt it though; he saw it, the connection between the dreams and this nautical thing. The little creature turned to him now, speaking only to him.  
  


「It’s your turn now. Time to use the power blessed upon you.」 Its voice echoed in his mind.

“What are you?”

「You already know. You’ve heard the name before. You heard it in the dreams, you heard others say it but not with their words. They spoke with their minds, with their hearts.」

“What then? What are you?”

「A manifestation of your Fighting Spirit and the strength to go on, Your Stand. My name is Nobody Knows.」 it continued, 「Now, use your power. We have to save Lorne!」In a unified screech, a call to their feeble minds! “「NOBODY KNOWS!」” A wave burst free from the scepter of the Stand, the approaching party stopping dead in their tracks with Television color bars in their eyes. Standing completely still, they looked like the undead, unmoving, staring vaguely into the trees. It was as if he could see into each of their minds at once, Sarah had to go to her lawyer on Saturday. Justin received detention again. Ugh that boy and his damned bug collection. I sweat to god if he picks up another one. John didn’t like her back, it wasn’t that she wasn’t pretty it was just that Mr. Melbrooks was even worse for ware lately, maybe he’s been relying on alcohol since his wife died. Bills are due in just a fewdays and there’sn o͢wa͜I ca̷n̶ ̕p̡ayt͠h̡emrightno̶w. ̕May̷beI̸c̛an҉ s̴e͢l̨l̀ T́on͞y̨’ sgra͠ nd͞m͜oth͘er’ss͜ ̶̢̀tak͠͞e ̡ỳoư̸r̡̕ş̡҉e̢ļ̧͞f̢̧ ̴̧̡t̀o͞o s̕͡e͠͡r̶͘i͏̛ơus̵͏l̢̕y̵ t͢͡o̶̕ ̸c͢a͏̡r̨͟͡è ̸̕a̧̢b̢͟o͡ùt̡̕ ͟͞w̸̕h҉̢at ̵y͟o̸ú̢ ͡p̨͢͞ ú͡͞ t͏͢ ͘o n͢͏̶ ͟ý͠ò͡ u̧̕r͡ ͞b̴͘ a͟c kbu̶͝ t̷͠ w̶̛h á̢͘t͞ ỳ͜ o u̡ ̡͡d̢̛͡o͘͟n̛͡ '̶̡t̶ k͜ņ̷ǫw̵̕ is͏͞ ͏t̡ìl̕v͏ȩr͟f̕o̵r ͠s o̧me͝ Y̶̡͟ou̴ g̸o͏̧ ́̕t͟͞o͠͞ ҉͜ỳ͜o̧ur̢͜ ć̨́lo͠͠͡se̡̧̡t ́a͠nd̷̨͝ ̴͘y̷̢o̶͢͟u͡ s̴e̢͝l͘͜e͟c͡t ̡͝͠th҉a̴ E̕d͠͝e̴͟n̕t͏̢͟ ̛͜l͢͝ųm̴ D̷͜i͜a͟ne͜,̵ ̸͡1̸͠1̵̛͘:̴̧͜3̛0҉̢ ͟A͘M̵, ͘F̶͞ę͠͏br͜u͠a͞ŗ́̕y͟͢ ͜2̕4̨͘͝t̛͝͠h́͜.͞͏̢ ̢̕͢E̵͞n̷̡͟t͠e͘͞rin̴͢ǵ̛ ̧͞t̢̧he̸͘͟ t͡own ̧̢of̛͢ ͘T̷w͘̕͜i̛͘͠n͜ ̶̕P̸̧͘ȩ̸a҉k̶̛͠ş͏,͢͠ ̨͜f̷iv͜é́̀ ̷̨ḿ̷̧íl̶͞es͢ ́͏so̸̵͏ ư͡t́́h͡ o̷͡f̵ Jo҉t̵a̵r͞o Kujo t͏͜͝hè͞ ͘C̷͜a̛ń͘̕ a͞d̷̨i͝ à̢͜n̢ ͜͝b̷͜o͢͞r̡̕d͜͡e̡r͟͡,̵͠ ̶t̷w͘e͟͏̶l̵̕v̵̧è m̷̕il͟͝҉és҉ ͜͠w̷e͏̡̧s͜͢͠t̷̀̀ ҉ó̢f͘͢ ͝t͞h͟͡e̢͏҉ ͏̕͟stat̵͠ ę͠ ̶̶li͏n̴͠e̷͝. ̨̕͢I̵̡’̧̡́v͜͟e̴͝ ̶n͏̀ȩ̸̕v̴er ͢se͜e̷͜n ̨s̛̕͟o͜͡ ̢͢m͢ a҉ń̕͝y͜ ͘t͘r̸e͏̸̛e̶s̸͟ in̷̕ ̸̵̨m̴͢͠y̢ l͏̸͝i͜͠҉f̕e.̴́ ̛Aś ͏Ẁ̨͞.̶̸ ͡C̷̛.̕ ̡F͡ ie̷̛l̡͠d̢s̨ ̨̕w̴̛o͡ưl̴̛d̶̛̀ ҉̧s̢͏a͡y͏̸ ,̵ ̛͘I̷̛͟’ḑ͞ ̨͡ r͡a̢ t̸̴͢h̡e̕͏r̨ ̢͝b̡̢e̵ ̶͘h̸̴͜e̛͢ r͢͝e̴͟ ̷͢t̢͟ha̶̧͘n̵͝ ͏̧Ṕ͞h͏̶̛į̡̕ la͡d̨è̶l͏̸̛ph̨́i̢͟͝ a͘.̸͟ ͢F͜i̸ f̵͏̕ty͘͢-́f̵̀͞ơ̵u͟҉̶r̛͠ d̛e̸g͞r̕҉҉e̵̢e̛͜͡s̶̶̸ ̷͜o͠҉n̨͟ ̨͠ą͠ ͢͡sl̢͡͠i͢ǵ͞h̨̢͟t̸l͞y̧͠ ̀͟o̢̕v̶̶͝er̶͟c͟a̧s̨͟t͘ ͏d́̕ay̸. ̶̕W̸̵e̵̡a̡t͏h̶ èŕm̨͝a̴n̢ ̶s̨͘͞a͡i͟d̵́ ̴ŕ̷ai͟n҉͜͟. ͘͡Ì̧f̢ ̨̧y̸ǫ̛u̧͡҉ ͟͝͝c͞҉o u͘ĺ͠d̷͜ ̶g̡͝҉e̢͘͟t͟͟͏ ̷p͘҉á͡͡i͏d͠ ҉t̨͟h͜͟͜a̕͠ t̢ ͟ḱ͝i͏̀͜n҉̢d͘͟ ͟of͘̕͡ ̷̨͞m̨̨͏o̶n̛͡e̷҉y ̡͜͞f͢or̀́b̨͜e̴҉i̸̡͞n̵͘g ̷̧̀w̵ro̷͏n̶g̴͡ ͢͞si͢x̢͢͞tỳ p҉͠e͜҉̴r̸ć̕e̸̡n̴̵͞t̨ ͡of́ ̶̕͝t͟h́ȩ ̵̢̕tim e̶̢͠,̴ ̕͏i͝t͏’̴̨҉d̸̡ ̢b̴̢́ea҉t ̶̡̨wò́r͞ķ̧i͞ņg̡.̵ ̡͡Mi͢ l̕͘͠e҉͟͜a̕͡ǵ͠e̢ ì̴s͡ ͏s͢҉ę͟͠v̷̀e ǹ͢t̢y-̷̵n̕͞ į́͢ń̶e͘͞ ̛t̴̀h҉͜o͢u̕͜ s̕a̕͞n̸̡͘d̴̡͡ ̀͡t̕͞h̴ ree͘͟͠ ̢͞͝h͞u̴ n͏̴̕d̨̧͘r͝e̴d͏҉ ̸͏f̵ó͘ r̀ty̷-̛͝f́į͠v̵͢e,̷͢C ̷̴͞-̡̢ ̀M̀͟͝oo͟͠n̴̨ga̢͘u̴͟͜g̸̨͜e͟͡͏ ̶͡͞i͜s̵̡҉ ̨͘o͡n̨͢ ̴̡r͝͝e͡ś̢͘e̶rv̶̀e͡, ͢r͘͜í͘͢d͝҉i͏ng͢͞ ̨͡ó̡n ҉f̸um͝e͟͠҉s ̕͢he͡r̸e҉,͡ I̕͏’̸̕v̡̛e g̡o̢t̴ t̡o̢ ̸t̛́̕a͞҉n̶k̴ ̧u͏̛͜p w͏h͏e̢̛n ̧͟͝I͢ g̛ȩ͢͞t̶ ͟͝í҉n̕t͜͢o͘͏ ͟t̛owǹ̷͡.̨̀͡ ̷R̛emi̧nd̵ ͠m̷e̶͞ ̧͜t̸͞o̵͢ ̴͟t͜͞ȩ҉l͠ļ͢ ͡y̴҉o̸ų͜ h̨o̕w̷̧ ́́mu̸̶͞c̵͡h͟ ̧t̵̡̨haţ̡̛ is͟. ̸Ĺ͘u̸͡n̴ć̷̵h̶͢ w͠a̸҉́s̶͜͢,̶͠͡ ͏̨ù͟h̀͘, ̸̀͠s̵͟i҉x͡͠͞ ̴̛d̷̢o͏̛҉ĺ͞͞l̸͜a̢r̨̨̕s̸ a̴n͏d̡̀ ͞҉t̵́h̢ir҉t͏̡y͏̛-o̵ ńe̷ ̶͟c͡҉̸ȩ͜ń̸͡ ts̴ ̵͠a̡͢҉t̀͢ ̵t͏he ͏L̷̴ á̀ḿ̨͝ Feels Li͢ke Hea͝v̀e͏n p̷͢lí̕g̴h t̶̕er̷͡҉ ̢I҉̕ nn҉̨,͘͏ ̴̨̕t͞ha̴̶t̴’s͏҉̢ ͢͝o̸n͟͡ H͘i̶g̷̨h̸̴͡w͜͠͏a̵͞y̢͏ ̢̀T̡w͢o̸͟ ̧͞ń̕ę̛á̶̢ŗ ͟L̸̛͟e̴̛w̷i̧҉̛s Fo̢͝rk̴̶̀.T͠h͘͜at̢̢̛ ̴̧̀w̷̢à͢͞s҉̧ ͜͝͝a͞҉̀͠ţ̢̀u͏̛͞n͞͝͠a̷҉́ ̸̀f̛i͟͏s̷̴h̷͝ ̨͠s͘͞a̴ń̸͞d̸͜͞w҉̴i̴̛c̢̛h͏̷ ̛ǫ̸͞ņ̷̶ w̶ho̸͢l͏e͢ ͘͜͠w̵͘hé͟a̢̛t̷̢̨,̶̨ s̢̛͜l̡iç͘͞e҉ ҉óf͏ ̕͢cher̴̴r̕y͝ ̵͝p̛ie̶̡,͠ ̶̕a͢n̶͡d͟҉͝ ̡͞a̴͠ ̴cu̧̨̕p͠ ͢ò҉f c͘͘͢o͞f̡̀͝f̷̛͟e͏҉e̴͡.̷ ̧Da̡͝mn̸͜ ̧̛go̶͜͝o҉d̵͞ ҉fo̷̵o͏͝d.͘ ̵̕͢Diąn͜e͜,̧̕ ìf ̸͢y͟ou e̕͢͝v̶͠e̶̡͢r͡͝ ̴ģ̷e͘t͜͟͠ u͟p҉͟ ͡͝t̷̡͝h̵̶͢i͏̷́s̢̕͢ ̧͟͠w̵̵̧a̶y͠͏ ̧t͞h̵át̨̛ ͏͏c̡h̶̶e͘r̵̕͠ry̴̵̨ ̡͠p̨ie҉͘ ̡̡͟į̷ś̴͞ ̴w̡͘ó͜͞r̸̷t̵̢͜h͟ I h̨ave̢ ̢co͢n͢versaţi̴ons ͝w͜iţh͏ ͝a ̴v̀eŕsio͜n̶ òf͝ y̷o̧u̧, an͜d ̸ho͞pe͢ thę real͟ ̷y̡ou̴ gets̛ wh͝at ́he ne̵e̵ds̵ a̧͘͝ ̶̵st̴͟o̕p.͏͢͝ ͏͘Ò̴k͟ą̶ỳ.̵͜ ̴͜Ļ́͞o̢o͏͢k̵s͘ ̶̷l̶i͏͡ke̶ ͘͢I’͡l̴͠҉l ͟͢b̶̛̀e ͘m̡è̕e͢t̶ ing͠ ̨ú͞pw͠҉̕i̵̕t̛͢h̴ ̢̕t̡h̷̢e̢, ̶̕a͘h,͢ ̡̡̕S̛͘̕hȩr͞i͡͏̧ff͠ ̸͜H̡͡á̀r̵͏ŕ̶y͠ S̴.͞҉̧ ҉Trưm̷͝a͘͜͡n̵͝͠. ̧̕͞S̛̕ h͡͠òu̡͜l͏̨d̢͢n̨͏’̴t ̴̕b́e̶̸ ̷͠t̵̢o̶̷͠o ͜͝h̢a̴͝ r͠d̴ ͜͠t̷o ̶r͜e͝m̢̀͜e̷̵̕m͏̨̀b͘ ęr ͘th͘͘͝a͜t̀͝.́҉ ͟͢H͠e̷̶̢’l̵l҉͞ ̶b̴e̸͡ ͜at J̶u͢st Like Heaven e͏͞n̨͟d̴̷́ ̢̡̛a̶ ̧͢c͏̀l͜e̸̡͡an̷͘͢p͡l̴͟a̛c̴e̢,̴͘҉͘r͢ę̢á̀ş̀o̕͡n̕ab́l̴ýpr̵͜i̛ ͠t͘͝h̵̡e̕͡ ͠Ć͏aļh͠o͏u͡ n͘ ̷̕M̸e̴m҉o̴͝r͘͞ìá̧l̵̀ ̸̨͘H҉҉o҉̵s̵p҉̶͟ it̛͟a͜҉l̛.̨͜ ͟͢͝I̢̕ ̸͠gu͝͞͝e̴̷s͏s̸ ̧͟w͘e’͏̶̶r̴͞ę̛͠ ̴g͜oin͝g͏́̀ ̴̕͝to ͘g҉̸o̵̵͘ ̡up̸ţo͝ ͏͜í̸ń͞t̵͢e͘ns̀͢҉i̧͟v̕e ̸̨ća̕r̷é̶͞ ͏an̴̴ḑ ̢͏͏t͏̶̴a̷̕ķ͟͡e̵ ̨̡҉a̵ ̷l̷҉o͝o҉̡k̶ a̸͏t̴ ̶͝ţ̛͠h́͝a͘t̨̕ ̴̧g͜͠i̷͞rl͘͠ ͠th͡͡at͟͞ ́͟͠c̵͞ r҉̶a҉͟w̢͟l̵͢͜e͞҉͏d̷̀ ̢͏d́͟͞ow̵͢͝n̕͞ ̸̶̵t̷̢͠h́ e̵͝r̨͡a̢͘i̸͠lr͟o̴̧a͝ Silver Chariot d̸̨͢ ̶҉̛trać͏̡k͢s o̸̧̕f̵̕͠f͜͏͝ ͘t̡̧h͝e͟͡ ̵͢m̸̕҉o u̸͝n̛t̵͏a͏ i̷͟͢n̢.͞ ̶͞W͢ ҉̡h͠ en̕͏͟ ̵I͘ ̀͠f̷͡i̕nis͏͢҉h̶ ̛̛t̸̨͟h̴̢̛e҉re͢ ͢͡I͘’͞͏ļ̢l̢͜͞ ͟b̕ȩ̵͘ ̀͜c҉͡h̸̶e Made in Heaven c̸̷̢k̸͞iņ̛g ̕͢in̵̢t̢͟͡ ò̡ ̷̡a͏̷͟ ̸m̨̀͢o̕͜t̀͢͞e̴ĺ͢.̧̧ ̸I’̛̕͟m̷̴ ̛́̕s͢ú͞r͝e t̷̛͟h̸̕͟e̴͝҉ ̴̢͟śher̨̢͜i͜f̢͘f͘͠ ̷͜͡w̴҉i͏̧l͝l҉̀҉̛b̴̸è̛ ̀͢a̸̕̕b̴̀̕le̴͟ ͘͠͠t̶̕o̶͞ ̢̛r͘ e̴̕͝c̢o̶҉m҉m̶ c͟èḑ̧. ̴͘͜T̵ḩ̕͢a͟t͢’̴̛s̴ ̴w͢͜h̡͘a͞t͠ ̷̡I̷̸̷n̢e̛͟͠ Requiem ̕e̢d,̛̕͜a̴ ͘͠c̨̕l̴e͠a̕͝ ń̷ ͞pl͜a̢̢c̵e͝,̢͢ ͠re̸̢̢a͝҉̨sò na̷̷̕b͏͡l̢y̡ ͟͝͡p̷̷̴ri̵c҉ę͏d̸.̸̢͝ ͜Oh̕ ̢͞D̴i͢͠a̷̛ne̷̡͢,͡͏ ̢͜I̕͏ ҉̢a̵̧҉l͏̶m̷ o̷͢s͜͞t͜͢ ̸f́͝o͠r͟͞gót̶̡.̧͠ ̸̨͝Go̵͝t̢̀ ̢̨͘t́́o͢͠ ̶͡fi͞n̡̛d̛̀ o̡ư͠t͟͜ ̷̵̧w̸h͟a̧t̷̵͠ k̸i̸͏nd̷ o͞f͢ ̷̀͘ţr҉̸e͜͜e҉҉s͢ ͡t̨͢h̴͜es͡e̸ King Crimson á͝ŗe̡.̶̢́ ̶T̢h͟ey̵͠’̵̵re̢҉ ̀re͜a͘l̢̛l̕y͟ ̵̧̧s̸͜ó͞m̸é͘͢th͏i̸͢͢n̨g̕.̡p̢͟͞y̢͠,͝ ̡l̕o̢ò͘s̸͝͞e̢ s͢͝we͝ át͟͠ ̸̛y̶͝o̢͟u̵͢ h͠͝a̡҉͞t͏ t̸h͠at̕͡ ̵͟͢s̶w͘͜͢e̶̶a͏̷̡t̸̴ȩr̷̢ ̵i͞s ͘no̵t̀ ̵͞j̶u̴st͟ b̀͠l͘ue̛. ҉It̷͟'̵͜ś ̴n̷ót t͟u̧͟ŗ͠q̵ ù̸҉o͝҉įś͢͢e͜͢͜.̴͏ ͏̕͡It̸̡'̛́́s ̸͞n̨o͝ t ͏̕ĺa͝p̢͘҉i̵͜s̛̀͞.͏́ ͏̷͟I̢҉t͡'͠҉͝s͞ ̢a͝c͜t̴u̸͟ al̴͝l̛ y̨̡ ́̀c̡͜͝é̵̶r̷u͞ ļ̵e̴͢͟an̵͘͟.͝҉̕èx t͢ra̸c͜ a͠sh̡I ҉d̢o̵͜ n̵͜’t̴ha͜v̴̷͡et̡̡̨o͝ ̸t͏͟e͏͘l̷͠ l̀ h͏̀ I m̴̢.͞ ̴͝M̡͘a̷̛r̨ ys͝d͠i̢͝͠ ̡͘v̡͜ó̵͟ r͏c̸͜è̴e̷̛w̷͢ i̵T́̕h͟e͏̷n҉̡ ̴́͝i̛h̶a̷̵̕ v̸͜e͞t́͠o̧͞g ͘͞o͞҉t͠͡o ͘t̀h͟e͘g̷͢ ŕ̴ ̵oc̀e̛a͢͢t̶͏̀ér̀͡,̶̴ fơr ͘͡i̸n̛͞s̸͢͠ţ̵͞an͜c̵̡e,́ ̴̨͝be̵͏c̕͠a̴̧͢us e͝ ͜y̧͞͏óu̸'̡͟r̴͏e ̕͘͠t̡r̢y̕͝ i̧̢̨n̴̨͡g̵҉ t̴́o ţ͏ell͟͝ t̛͘h͜e҉ ̷̸w̵̨̧ǫr͟ld͢͟͞ ̶̨t҉h͏̛ r͟ý̷̵ ̧s̷͞to̵͡rȩ̴a͝͝n̵͜d ̵́͜p͘͏̶ įc͏ķ͟u̶p̷̛l̶͟un͟͜ć͜͢ḩ҉́e̴ ͢şfo̕͞ r̷t̷h͜͞e̸̢ ki̷̴͠ ͞d̀͠s̨ ̷́ţ̛h́҉h̀҉ȩ͢r̸͡͏hu̧ s͏̧b̧͠a̸̛n͝d͝ha͜ sb̷ e҉ ͠͠eͯ̏n̷̓̃͋̿͊̏̄ r ͬ̑̇̉͋ͤͨě̑a ͥ̂̾ͬͮl͐̄͗̃̓ lͬ͂ͪͬ͂y͊ ͬ́̃̔͘h̒̆ͯar͊̿͜ d ͬ̽̽̎̅̍͒o̧ͥ̃ͦ́͛ ̚n̂̑̎hͧ͋͊ͥ̊̎ě̛r̶̔ͯ̅I͊ͮ̈̉̿ͮ̚̕h͋̃̒̔͟o̎̽͆͊ͩͮͪ ̊ͤͯͭ͞p̽ͯ̋̔̃͆ͮe̕s͐ͩ̔̃̾̌hͣȩ͛̒͒̆̓̎ḑ̋̑ͨ͐ͨ͌o͗ͭèͪs̾̃̾̉̃́͌͜ṅ̡ͨͦ’̨̆͂̈́͆t̸̍͆͆f̔̓i͒̀̊̇̃̌n͌́̆̅ͫ̀ͧdo̅̑̈́ͨ̓̐̃ut̉̾̊̑̉̂̆ ͤͤTḧ́̒͌̍̅̉͡ä́̈́̀͗ t́͑̑̊ͫ̎͆ ͋͐͂͛̊̂̽i̎̀̆̀ͪ̉͆͝tͫ͋́ ̨͌ẃ̆͒ͪ̒͗̀aͧͣs̊̇̂ͨmͭ͞e̋́̊͟w̛͋̍ i͋̽ͫ̓̀̚T͠h̨͒̄̅ͭ̚̚e͐̅n ͆iͧ̄͏h̶ͤͣ̄̍͊̚ȁ̸͂̀̈́̆̊vͦ̀e͗ͨ̽́ͫ͢t̴̍̈̀o ͥ̀͗̏g̋͐̐ ̏͂̚ỏ̈́ͥ́t̢̑̎̉̀̀o͌̂̀̓́͏ T̶͘he͟͏́҉ ҉W̨͘͜ó͞ŕ́͜ld҉͞ ͗ͩ̈̾͞t̸̽̈̔ͪ̅͛ḧͥ̋҉e̾̾ͪ͗g Valentine ͣ͐́r̽̏͐̆̕ ͒̂͜oͦ͆ͨ͋ͤ̎c̅͂͢e͆̋͂r̴̒y̔̏ͨ̓ͧͦ ̋ͭ͑ͯ͛͐s̓͒̌t̀o͞r̽ ͦ̓͜eͦ͛ả̎ͦͤ͗̓ͥ̕n̈́̐̐͛̕d͐̓̒̌͡piͤ͆̄͟ cͦ̆̾̑̏̈k̛̒ͨ̉̚u̐͡p̃ͩ̄̀̽͡l̿u̎́ǹ̀͏c̸ͧ̅͊h̶eͧ ́̐s̾̓͊̆ͮf̋́͛̄ͤoͬ̎̑͂̉͊͜r̉̔̌͌̀̆͂t̎ ͆̓͋͑ͧ̄̋c̈͊̋k̍u̒͋̌̋ͤ̕p̚͠l͊ͮ͋͑̈ͥ͏u̷nͩ̆c̶h̨ͮͣe̾ͪ̐́̚ ̍ͬ̉̄ͪ͟ś̿̓f ơr͏tͬ͂͛hͣ͆̾͒͒̄̌é̿̈́̈́kͥ̍ͨ̆̾̎̚ȋ ̡̑̃̋̒ͪ͋̀dͨ̐̇͆̓ͪͦ͝ s̵ͨ̓ ͋̿t̓́̽ͭ́h̸̓͂ͤ̓̎̃͂h̡͆̆̚ eͫ̓̉̀ͦ̾̔̀r̽̊hͬǔ̿͆̆ sͭͬ̋ͨ̆ͭ̉͘b̢ͨa͆ ͫ̀n̾̊ͧͯ̄͌̋d̴h Children of Dio ͥ̍̂̎ͬ̚à̽̃s̓ͧ́b͌̓̎ͨ̔ͫ͘e҉ ͌̂ͤ͑̉͑e̍̓nͯ̎͆ͣ̇̏r̵̓͛eͬͥa͒̍ͭ̔͒ͦ̀͏l̀l̄yͦͨ̈́̆̌̃̔h͋ͭ͑ͨ̌̾a rͣ͑͐̂͊ͧͥ҉d̓͆ͯͧ̽̚̚͜oͦ̈͛͑ͫ ͩ̽̈͋̉ͧ̓҉nͦ̉hé̢̇r̈̎ͫ͑Ĭ͊͗h͐̏̏ͧ͊̈́̚o̡̎͑ͣ̈̇̄̅ ̌ͫ́p̃̌eͩ̐ͩͨsͥ͌̇̑ͩhͨ̊̆͢ẻͭ dͫ̎̈́̈̈́̐o͑ͣ͌̾͗eͭͣͣͣͫ҉snͩ̍̄͢’̆̃̏̂̓͐̈tͧ̃͐ͣ͛̾͜f̅̿ͫͮ̓͞ì̸̎̍ͥnͬͮ͐̋d̂̄̒͛ͪo̡̾̎ͮ̄uͭ̆t̄ ̅̾̂̈̚͡Tͭ̃ͥ̔͜h̢a̹̫͈̯ͅ d͙͊͗ͦ͆͝i̱̝̱ͣ͆ͫ̆̐̾e͎̮̖̤̳̩̽̇d͇͓̪̺͔̣̘͌͊͑ͭ̾̂͑ M̖̝̟͎̝̤͠r̥͝.̸͙̩̘ͅ ̷Me͕̮lb͓͙͙̥ ṟ̰̫͚̗̱̰o̜͘o̸k̵͔̲̹͇͍s̷̻ ̻͎̰̩̝̰ t̵͍̜̹̬̓ͣͬ̎̚ ̖͍̳̝̻̍ͣ͋̇̾ͩ͜i͈̭͚̤̫̤ẗ̙̹͇ ̒ͩͦw̗͑ ͯâ̐͌҉̟͍̝̠s m̰̰̠͗̈͊è̗̙̲̱͗̊̿͑͘ͅI̫͌̄ͦ̀̒͜ ̛̣h̬̺̩̐ͦ̏̾̽͗͊o͚̪ͮ͆ͭp̷ e̛̬̭̬̒ͤͣ̿̚ ̴͉̻̖͎͙ͨͮ͌n͎̖̹͙ͬ̐ͯͣ̐͆̕o̸͈͕̣̙͇ͩ̋͊̈ḇ̪̲̳͙͕ͩ̆̓ͪ͠o̰̱̗̠̪͖̖͐̽̐͠ḍ͕͎̮̓̄͑́̈̒̏ ÿ́͏̮̻̻͕ ̴͖͚͇͙̜ͫ͌̓̎̈ͅf̵̗ͫͣ̌̎ͪ̀̋i̮͕͚͋͊̍̏͊͛̒̕n̛͉̳̘̮̟̭͚͗̊̊͌͂d̮̝̘̠͙ͥ̃ş ̨̣͔̞̈̔̍ͦ̋t͂ͭh͇̝̱͓̤̙ͩ̎͊̚̚ê̷̻̟̭͖̂͛ͣ̒ ͈̭̟̓̒ͧ̽̋̇͘b̖͟ơ̝̙͎̜͈͌̃ͬ̒̆̉̑ḍ͉̹ ͪ̔ͧͅy̶̲͉̣̭͇͑ͣ̇͗͌̉w̟̣̱͕̱̄͂̄͝ ĩ̤͈ ͮͦͮT̛͈̈ȟ̶̫͙̥͍̓̊ͫ̍̆ͩ̑e͕̳̮̝̐̇͐̋̾͌n͍̭͓̩̉̐ͪ̐ ̲̳̜̣̤̮̠̏ͫ̿́͛̽ͧḩ̤̙̝̗̗̼̹̒ȇ̸͉̭͖̰̈́̎̆̓̌ͭk̶̭̪̬ ͣ͒ͯ̾̈́̊ͯi̫ ̇̓͏͕̱͉̘d̼̼̮͂ͯ̐ͅṡ̞͙̯̝͉ͦ͟ ̬̻̀t̫̲̗̖̊͗̀h̳̯͇͙̃́ͬ̃ḩ̙̭̭̹̜̗͂ ͧ͡ë̱͊̂̂̽r̮͍̱̙͚̞͗̊h̄̒͛ů̦ͬ̇ͮs̴̍̽̂̾͆ b̘̫̻̺͔̣͖̅̇̌ͩạ͓͙͍̹͖̎ ͣ͊̅ͅn̬̖̫͉̋̽̌ͯd̠̭̭̞̯̦̆̒̈́ͦ̉̀.͙͎͔̘͔͙̎͑͌ͅt̻̐͐̊̽ h̶̳̤̿ͫ̿̄e̝ͦ͛͋͞ͅͅj͎̩̞̾͛̇̆͢ D̜͓̻̭̞͒ͦͥ̐̆L̷̲̑Q̦͉͖̈͊̓́ Ĩ҉͈͍J̧̼̻̗̯̗ͮ̋̈̅ͅE͈̩͔̥̝ͮͥ́͋̾̐̀ͅü̝̩̦͇͚͖̇͆ ͥ̄u͍̳̻͕͍o̜̞̟̗͒ͬ̽͒ͪw̹͙͑̾ͭ͋̓c̜͈̺̯̪̥͒̋ͬͣ̋ͧñ͔͕̗͕ͣͧ͝ë̗̼͍́͊̈̔ͫͅi̋ͦ҉a̶̩͉͙̪̖͚̓̋w̦͖̭̩͙ͨ͒̏͐̈́̌̋́ͅe̯̫͚B̅̏̇ͣ̈́ W͡h̴ite S͏na͘k͘e C̼͉̜̺̘̝̤͗͐̐ͨA̰̬̓ͮ̊ͥ̐̃͘Y̼͉͍ͯ̌ ͦ̉ͩW͕̭ù͡u͍̓̎̾̈oͦ̎ͦ͏͔̗w̰͖̆͆c͞ṋ̳̱̱̺ͥ͂́͂̆ͅͅe̶̮̦͓̗͙̽ͫ̒ͩi̖̘̹̹ͥ̄ͬ̑̌̄̾͡a̾ ͭ͝wͬ̓̾͐͗ͤ̏ẽ̑̔͂ Ì͇͉̮̬̮ ̾̃ͥ̉͛̇̊e̡͖͎̹͙͋͋̓͛o̮͍̻ͭ̂̑̈̔͘ͅh̸͚ͫͬp̞̳̰͔̤͎̥͞ ̨ͮ̐̍̅b̬͚̟̙̯ͅo͍̭̊ͮ͋̏̀d̛̲̘̑͑͆̑̔̽n̲̣ͣͯ̃ͤ̚o̴͕̮̺̺͌͂̐y̙͍͉͐͌̏ͧ̋ ͙̼̟̻͊i͎̼̹̭̻͖̜͑̃̊̅f̪̙̜ͤ̎̿ͭ̓̋̾d̰̪͌ͩ̇͗ͩͪ͊s̶̗̫̆̀̌̂̽̆͑ṉ̨͍̦̝͇ͯ̅ͫ̾ͧ̌̚ͅ ̬̞͋͂̇ͩͩ́t̢͓͖̳̝̻̙ͅh̛̰̠̼̥̞͇̞̔͋̋͒͑̈́͆e̒̈͌̈́͒͡ ͪ́̽͐҉̤̠̙̦̤y̦͉͓ͣ̚d̢̺̱͎̹̰͉͖̓̂̅̍͛ḅ̷̟ͭ̓̀ͭo̞̬̠̰̭̖̪͗͆̒̔ Ṿ̛̻̣̥̥̠̱͋͑͛U̱̎ͣ͑̂O̽́̀͆̏A̧̋̃͊W̶̮̹̤̤̗͛ L͘l̖͕͔͉̗̗̼̄͐͛́͑͊i̞̙͖̩̜͂ą͈̫ͨ͑ͮ̈́̄̾ͣc͎̠̹̺̙͚ͬ̓̉̊̐ͣ̚h̷̫̝̫͙͐͆̄b͎͉͎̺ͪͪ̂̓̈́̍̚k͉͓͝ u͍̻̦͇̝y̓̏̊s͇ͭ̎ͭ̽́̊l̷͈̖͖̭̤̪͂̿ͣ̾b͚͂ͪ̈́͒͠í͎͍̥̭͍̙̰ŭ̶̝̣͖͇̫̈̄͐̀͛ḛ̺̣͖̤̬ͯ͛͋ͭ̿͆ͅU͚̘̰͂͒̿̇̿̄̚h̟̗̮̍̓ͅ b̹̾͐ͮ̑k̆̓̔̏͝ Eden Family z̯͕͕̯̜̻̙͐́͑̈ͣu̟̭͙͙͓ ͫv͍̮͎̎g̗̝̫͓̪ͯ̌̋̔̅͘Z̻͍̯̰̙̖͌͆̔ͤ̓ͅe͍̤ͭ l͚͉̥a̫̞̦̤͔̒̾͜w̲ͥ͐̿̇ ḱ̛ͧ̒ͤ̂̔̃ū̵͚̗̦͇̙ ͯ͒̚ͅ a͓͎̣̙͚̒ͧw͓̹̜ͥ̅ͧ́̽Ę̼̻͚̝̪̟̖̊̿͆͐̆͗y͓̽͋̂͂ͥ̓ḇ̴͍̗̻ͨ̅ͨ͌̃k̺̠̯̽ͮͨͦ̆͂ͥS̬̺U͈͎I͓͕̙͇͖͛̍ͅH̷͈̺͓̿̌u̞̼̩̺͇ͨͥ̉ͥ̉̓ͭ͝ų̐̋o͆̒͊̐̑w͎̞̜͙̝̍̾͠c̫̆̌ nͮ̋͆͑̎҉̘̹͚̞ë̙̻̜̹̙͚́́̍ ͨͮͅi̟̠̞͈a̶̟͚ͅw̷͌̎̅̎ ͥe̞̩͇̞O̸̻̪̺͈͎̣̩̾̂̉̇̏Í̖̟̞͔̲̤̯̄ͪǰ͈̳̩̘̩̬̆̈́̽ͪ̄̎n͎͚̒̑̐̀ͪḙ̰̼̞̝̍ ͯ͐o͕͖̤̖ͣͫ͗͒̂̀u͕̮̗͈͚͂ͦ̀̈̓ͧ̓ǘ̶͙̬̹͎͙ ȯ͔͔̞͒ͧͤ̆̌w̱c̾͑ͨ̄͒̌͏͙͓n͈̭̜̪ͬ̈̓́ḛ̔͜î̻̦̰͕̦͛̇̿̋ͪ͛͟a̶̰̼̱̜ ͫͦ͆̒ͅw̙͉̮̬͇̺ͭͮ͆͂ẻ̡̜̫̳͎ ͣͭͭͪͮ͛c͚̻̝͐͌͛͘ Ì͇͉̮̬̮ ̾̃ͥ̉͛̇̊e̡͖͎̹͙͋͋̓͛o̮͍̻ͭ̂̑̈̔͘ͅh̸͚ͫͬp̞̳̰͔̤͎̥͞ ̨ͮ̐̍̅b̬͚̟̙̯ͅo͍̭̊ͮ͋̏̀d̛̲̘̑͑͆̑̔̽n̲̣ ͣͯ̃ͤ̚o̴͕̮̺̺͌͂̐y̙͍͉͐͌̏ͧ̋ ͙̼̟̻͊i͎̼̹̭̻͖̜͑̃̊̅f̪̙̜ͤ̎̿ͭ̓̋̾d̰̪͌ͩ̇͗ͩͪ͊s̶̗̫̆̀̌̂̽̆͑ṉ̨͍̦̝͇ͯ̅ͫ̾ͧ̌̚ͅ ̬̞͋͂̇ͩͩ́t̢͓͖̳̝̻̙ͅ h̛̰̠̼̥̞͇̞̔͋̋͒͑̈́͆e̒̈͌̈́͒͡ ͪ́̽͐҉̤̠̙̦̤y̦͉͓ͣ̚d̢̺̱͎̹̰͉͖̓̂̅̍͛ḅ̷̟ͭ̓̀ͭo̞̬̠̰̭̖̪͗͆̒̔ My name is Yoshikage Kira . Í'͡m ̢3͢3 year̷s ol̛d҉ ͪͦ̏̓.̳͖̬͎͍͗̅̎ͨ̄͊ ͉ͪ̐̅̿̈́̄M̪̓͢ y̻͓̦͔̣ͬͥ̍ ͉̘̥̜̞̪̜̂ͮh̷͎͚̪͔̔̚̚õ͚̭̻̹̌ͪ̾̋̓͑̀ü͑͐ s̙̜e̛͙̞͋ ͣͧ͆ͭ͌ ̦̏́i̞̫̤̞̗̬ͅs̭̥̳̪ͪ̌͐̇̽͛̒́ ̬̉ͩ̒̂́ḯn̪̭̘̻̑ ̗̤̺̙̘̠̒̄͒̉t̟͈͉̬̠͉̘ͧh͓̭͕͔ͦe̹̝̠̙̚ ̘̮͖̰̜̂ͤ̓̉̉nͧ̓͊͌ͤ͏͇̦̫̹̝̖o̻͓̖̮̪͍̖̔ rͥ̍͛t̹͕̳͕̗̺̱͒̀h͛͌ e̛̫͚ ͨ̍̐ͪ̌̚a̰̣͔̜̔ͥ̑̍̓s̈͌̕ t̝͖̺͇̺̯͂͗́ͥͦ ̩̜̥̒̓̔ͮͬ̍̚s̪̊͒e̳͕͖̞̹ͨ̀͒ͮ͛̒̚ͅc̉ ͯ̓t̨ͦ̔̋ͯͦì̶̜̼̯o̷̮̤̬̳͋̔̑͆̋͒̚ n̻̞̮͌ ̩̭̠̲̬ͩ̐̊̓͝o͏̼f̥͚̏ ̡͖̱͓̜̣̜͗M̓ͫ̚̚õ̻̟̩̹̩͛͑͊ r̦̱̜̞͉̹̟ͨ͋̈ī̘͈͔̗̳̰͝ o͛̈͏͚͍̜h̹̤͚̜͇͕̲̄̕,ͦͦ̉̈̑ͭ͛҉̮ ̫̲̝̖ͫͩ̿w̶̹͈̹̩͈͗̄͊̈́ ͨͅh͎̩ͮͦ͋e r̢̄e̲̬̠̠ͪ͆͛̎̑̂ͦ ͪ̔̃͏͓͉̻̟̯a̘̰̤͚̾͋̄͆̾l͇ͪl̦̝̘̬̫̮̉͊̈̽͑̐ ͚͖̯̰̏̑̈ͧ̐̚͜t̥̮̘͉̘̳̜̾̆ͤ̏h̰̖̜̻̠͔̀e͍̣̘̻͉̝̖ ͎͊̅̌͗̐̅̊͢v̂͘i̩̙̤̱l͙̦̖̪͖ͦ̉̑͂͢l̥͔̚ a҉̻s͙̮͉̟͕͕̊͌͗͞ ̴̼̱͙a̢̠̹̮̗̓̐r̼̖̝̀͛s͏t͕̦͉͕͉͐ͬ̐ͧͅ ̘̥̜̻͙̩͡l̡͙̄ͬ̿͊ị̵̗̰̝̣̮̲ͦ̈́̆̿ͦ̀k̭̘̹̞̻̠̆eͦ̈̃̈͑ ̴̙̹͍͉͚̌̾̔ͫ̒a͇̩͎͌ͭ͂̍̌͊̏ ̳̣̱̫͔̜͕̏̎̐̚ b̰ͮàr̷̋̽s̥̟͉̜̹̺ͣ̄ͭ̅o̼̘ͯ̃n̳͈̙͖̐ͨ͊ͧ̐wͯ҉̻͎͈h͔̲͙̿̍o̡̻̪̝̤̎̾ ̸̹̠͈̞̯ͥͧw̞͍̒͛͊ͯ̚i̱̫̟͎̐͆ͦͤ͑̒̕ ş̖̻̤͇̟̜̑h̛̭͎̗̙͈̖e̺͍͐͗ͮ̏ͧs͖̰̻͍̬̎ͩ͟ ͌ͩ͗̅͛̂t̼͛o̻̥ͭͫ͟ ̙̙̞̋ͨͤ̆̇͝l͈̖̠͉͇͚̆ͥ̌ͪ̏̑iͧ̓̆̋̍҉̰̲̮v̞̼̟̘͖̯͝e̻͌͒̋͘ͅ ̓ǎ͕͙̻̥̪̝̑̆ͤ ̟̝̣͕̓ͩ̑̉ͪv̅̈̏͢e̤̿ͨ̉̓ř̮̭̳͙̩͓̿ͤ͌̌́ͦ͏͇̠̙̹̩̲̻ a̳̟̰̩̔̔̈́t͎ͫ ̨͕̉ͯi͙̪͕̮̰͌͠ s̷̥̠͈̈́̆̈̐̂ ̊̉ͩ̿̍̎̊͟ŵ̝̰̯̰̤͎ͧͣ͂ͭ̄h̤͉̗̜̪̭̎̒͒̈́ a͐͋͂ͯ̅̉͊t̢̋͛̔ ̵͇̮̘͇͎̠b̵̠͎ͧͫͬ̾ͤr͕̯̲̪͐͂̽̓͢i͓͎̭͙̜̭̙͒̑͒ n̮̲͔̞̥͇̠̏g̗̓̏ 「Ven」 s̙̗̑̂̅́͊̅ ̯͚̮͔̦͕̓ͥ̄ͧ̔ͥ̕m̜̪̜̹̄̇ͧ͐̂̆e̳̙̗̭̞ͦ̈́͂h͍̲̠̞ͧ͑͗̆̆̐a͖͍̤͚͕͒̆̆̊́̕ pͨ̈҉̮͈͙̠͎p̙̭̬̤̠ͮ̍̀i̡̗͚̹̳̼ͤ̓͆͆ọ͉͔̫̦̭̳1̭ͥͤ ͨ̌̍ͭͫͭ̉͏̗P̞͈̞͉̰͌M̪̥͋ ͪ̃̅̉͜,̿͞ ͋ͧ̆̅҉͔̩̫̜a̾͗҉̰n͍̫̬̹̱̖̤ͨ̿d̳̣̂ͫ̔ ̘͓̤͍̖̆ͥ͂̐͒͑ͣm̥̺̠͈̳̥͐͌̉̿̏͡a͓̳̳̠̖͖̎̆͒͒́ ͦ̏̅ͤͪͅi̷̹̦̦̮̅ͧ̓ͮe̮͚͎̩̓͟ṱ͈̊͛̆ỷ̲͓̗̬̪͍̯̅ ͯ͋̓̕,̬̠̗̭͜ ̰͈͛͂̽̿̕ă̬̗̮̼ͥ́̚n͍̲̭̟̪͕ͭͫ̂ͤ͒̉̓d͚̏ ͪͤ͐̂͌ ̝̗̘͙̫͈͑ͣ̔̉̋͘Ǐ͋̅̂ͪ̿͏̠̻̱ ͍̻̟͑̎ͯ̊̈́ͭ̀ḱ̛͚̻̻̘̟͓̓n̰̟̳̟̞̪̺̈́ọ̥̟̹̍̒ w̴̹̝͋ ̞̘̗͓͓̌̂ͫ̒̚t̖̬̝͖̊̽ͮ̅̚h͗i͎̞ ͯe̙͎̭̭̤̦̾ ͣ̏̀͊̆s̰̰̗̼̉͂̍̉͐̄̚,̞͚̙̻̙̖̅̐̇ ̗ͮ͑̆̏̅l̢̼̤̝̳̥̖͑ͯ̓̂i͈̯̼̓͛ͣͮk̺͍̺͉̤̣͙̒͑ͫ̀̋ͨḛ͓̟͖̯͖͖ ̝͉̼̬̝͓̐̕ẁ̵̚i̺͙͖̖͙̥̓ͦ̋̆n̮̑̆̐̋ ͯͅ n̝͕̲̍̅͗ ͭͮ͠ͅi͕̙̖̜͓̫ͮͅ n̷̯̼̣͚̜̳̐́̑̓̍̈́ ͯg͇͚̭̳̲ ͬ ͇̌͛ͫ͑̓̾̅a̤̖n͙̜̜̗͇͕̫̈̀̃ ͩd̡̩̪̱̭̠̻ͪ̈̄ ͔̳̤̰̫̼̯ͣ̑ͤͦl̢͔̘̟͙̙͎͗̇ͯͧ̏͊o̦̘͗͌͑ͪ́s̳̗̼͎̗̭ ͤȉ̫͙̀n̓ ͭ̎͋̄͞b̰̙̤̝̏͘l͎̖̫̦̬̏ ͣ͊̈́̎e̜̳̖͊̓̅ͩ́̅̓ ̥̮͈̮͉̰͢m̴̙͉̲̂ͩ̅̊ͭy͕̤̪̼̖ͩ̒ s̪̳͔̹͒ͬe̦͙̳̜̻͔̿ l̤̼̰͖̙͙͎̒̆̑̈́ ͯ̓ͫf̹͍̗͉̟̞͗́ ͉̖̞̝̪͉̽̓͂̓w̜͙̩̟̥̕ĩ̧͎̪̼̱̆̾̏̒t̛̥͙̲̏̇͊̓̌̃ͥḩ̖̙̻̓͌̌ͣ ̟̰̬̆̆̓͑͛̽ͅȁ̴̱̭̜̻̓̏̐͗n̖̣̤̱̈ͩ͛̑͛ y̳͍̣̯͚ͫ̾ͦ͌͌͒ͬͅ ͠e̳̮̿͂͌͒n̥͎̙̖̤͈̔̅̿̀̉̈́̀ 「 Ven 」 àr̷̋̽s̥̟͉̜̹̺ͣ̄ͭ̅o̼̘ͥ̑̉y̯̻̬̐͋̒́ ͉͓̭͔̪̥̬̀́8̟͔ͩͫ̊̋̽ ̨̹͔̠̖̙̞̾ͧP͓̩ e͓͈̤̣͗ͬͬ͌ͭ̎m̳͕̗͖̹̃ͪ̅͌ͪ́yͯ̓͏̫̘ ͓͇̗̪ͮ̓ͫ̍́ͭ͡q͎̓ ͮ̏͊͐ͥ͒u̇̎̓̉̒҉ĭ̟̞̮̝̜̆ͮ̔͘ė̌̑́̓͊҉̬̭̲t̩̙̘̏̀̓͊ ̙̹̺͍̬͕͔̾̌̿̓ͭ̄͒l̶͇͚͎̦͈̅͊̉ͨ̄͑i͍̜̪͖̋͆ͥͬf̟͈̭͖̣͓e̘̘͎͎̞̬͖.҉ ̞͚̈́̌ͅI͚͍̜̭̗̲ͤ ͇̯ͫ͊̌t̡̫͇̣̭̅̃̌̇ͭ̉̚a̢͋ͪͨͬ͌ͮk̎̊̒ͤ͑m̨͚̙͓̞̲͙̏̍e̪̦̖̫ ̺͕̮̜͔̝̈̓e̴̟̻̩͙̬͈ͬ v̪̲͉̗͔͙̯͋̊̈ͦͥȅͣ̽̇͐͋̆r̪̯̟͇ͭ̌̀̑͟y̹͈̮̥͉̆̉̓̑ͩ ͥ̿͒d̰̤ͯ͢a̡̠͚̭̳ͧ ͥy̗̱̟̥͆̿̎̃̀̅̎b̰̰̳̦̜͈̱̉ͩM̮̫̗͚̃̒̎ͣͅͅ ̵̟̭̦̘ä͖͓̙͓̣̦͙̐̋̇t͖̰͇͙̫͖̐ͧ̚ ̤̖̻̖̣͎͖̂̓͗̆t͙̝͎͗̌́͆̈ͩͩ͡h͍͔̰̱̫̗ͫe̮̓̽͗̊͐͡ ͭg̷̫̝͙̜͚̀͌ͩͨͧͯ̈́,̗̓́ͮ̂͋̚ ̰t͐ͣͮ͊ͥͤ̍h҉̰͓a̧͓͑t͕̣̖͇̦͖͒ͥ̂ͤ̓͆̈́ ̱̬͙̱̃͒̚͝ẅ̴͈̹͎͉̣͈̩́̿ͩͣ̊o̶ͫu̩ ͫ̆̂l͖̯̳͂̆̑́ͅd̶͙̓ ̪͚̜̙͜c̫̜͍̤͓̥͊a͖͇̺͔̳͂ͮu̫͍̳̮͉̘̥ ͮ̌̚s͂̎̃̌e̝͉̒̀̓̿ ͇̭͚ͧ̉̽ͅͅṁ̗͙̗̟͓͙̹͑̀e͌̅͗̋̒̎̎͠ ͍̯̥̗̯̟͈ͯ̂ͤͣͥ͠ṭ̵̾̉ͤ͐̚o͉̜͙̞͂̀ ̮̍̈́̑ì̘̐n͓̩̭̲̤̰͒͠e͙ s̱̗̓͋ͩ͐ͭ̚s̤̔ͤ.̠̠̗͙̮̋͂̍ ̞̜͕̤̯̫̾̓̆͗̍͆ͣ͝Aͪ̌ͤl͚̬͇t Ven h̓ ͩ̚͏̯̺͈͉o̍͝b͙͚͚̬̳y͓̥̹͑̓̔ͪ̆̇,͙̲ͧ ̰̒̾I̥̬̙̜̎͗̍̈̅̿ ̧̪̺̖ͦͥͫ̇ͯ͛w̔ͯ͢a̳̗̪͎̼̺ͬk͈̮͔̖ͯͩͯͥ̒͌͝s͎̞̬̘̝͓͌̀ͯ ͇͔̒ͮͮ̄̉́a̫̫͈̘̫ͦ͌͘t̤̰̪͉̝͎ ͕͙̤͔̠̟̻ͥͩ͊̍ͦ̈͝ṃ͚̙̹͇̥̖̈́ͫ̀ͬ̇͑̆͟y̪̬͈̞̝̩ͮͫ̒ ̟͈̪͓ͨͩ̓ͅlͤ͜a̶̠̻̬̦͛̐̓ͅ sͨt͇̲̫̱̻͔͋ͤ ͍͇̹͉͕̦̤̈̈̂̈́̑̓ͬ̕c̑̌ͮ̿̅h̲͎͎͌͒ͯ̎͆ͨe͙ͣ̒̿̀e̷̜̟̖̮̙̰͈ ̡͕̺̮̘̖̘̂̏̆u͚̻͌̒̍́ͅ p̘̳͞ ̛̙͉̺͈̽ w̓ ҉̹̲̰̺i̵͆̾́̄ ṭ ͥh̻̞̝̽͊͒ͬ̐̈ͩŏ͇͔̟̩͓̼̬̓̈uͣ̽͛̍ͤ ̦̺̪ͥ̓͜ň̫̣̰̲̬̹̜ͤ̏̃̌ͯ̐͜o̎҉ṭ̻̮͖͝ ̞͖̥̕m̰͍ͬ̐͑ã͈̤̩͕ r̻̜͕̼̙̳̱ͪͫͦ̇̽̌ r̜̲̭̬̦̈́͛͌̔̀͂ͅi̷ͦe̟̜̙̽ͩͦͨ̌͊ͪͅd̘͕͇̱̳̼̥ͨ̿ͮ̓ͭ.̻ ̷̻͇̝̝̺͇̌ͤͅḬ̻̦͈͌ ̔ͣ͆̉ͩ̇̀w̩̭̪̭̰͈͎̆̈̂̚o̺̫̝̼̥ͮ̃̊͂͂rͬ͒̑͑ḳ̨̬̦̗̹̲̓̎͐̇ ͒͆̓ͧ̏ͮ҉͕͈̜͈͍̮ͅa̸͕̩̮̠̭̦͍̔͒̓s̻̳̦͍͎͌ͅ ͫ͛̈̋a͇̫̪̝ͬͩn̺ͬ̓͗̓ͣ̌ ͖͇̭͎̹e͔̔̒͂̿m͒̄ͤ͏̟͍̪p̧̅ͩ̓̑ͦ̊ͧl̴̹̺̰̬͇͖͖͆̽ ͫ̄̄͋ò͉̜̠̆ͮÿ̭̮̗ r̶̹̻͒o̟̪̬͋ ͭͭ̆̅̓b̫̭̼̻̳͙͍̎́l̷̺̇̑̒ȅ͎͕͙͊m͕̆͗͆ ͥ̄s̴ ͖̝̞̈́́̕s̒l̯͂ẻ̹̰͚̳͎͕̯͗͒̀ e̩̗e̜͜ ́f̯̳̬̞͑͠o̫͓͙̹̜r̒ͦͬ͋͌ͧ̀ ̥̗̥͚̙̏̓͌t̨͎̙̬̄ͧͅh̝̳̣͈̫̊ ͯ͋͋ͅe̘͕͌̑̀ͅ ̟̭̟̼̹͚̃K̻͖̯͇̬̿̅̈́͑̔̚a͈̙̝m̮̟̣̹̈̃͆ ͤͩ̏e̵̤͓̎͋͌ͯ͗̇̚ ̝̋ͦY̤̪̑ͯͅû̥̀ ̟̗̰͑d̸̲̎̎̄ e͒̽͐͑̆̾̌p̓ͫa̛̘ͨͭ͒̈ͪe̦̫̯̰̫͍͌̿ͮ͛ͩ,̹͚̥̩͍̍́̓̾͒ ̧̟̺͚́̏̀͗a͈̘͖͎̗̱̬n̡͖̙d̥ ̀҉͕̘͈̖̯͖̙I̧̳͈͚͓̠͚ ̟̗͚͎͓̅̔ͧ̋̉á̷͕̪̮̿͋͂̓ͫm̟͕̠̭̻̪̱o̙͍͉̒͒ͮ́ ̛̜̫̗͙ͦͅb̡̍̌e̮̩̪̺̬̪̋ͨͫ̚͟d͓͓̰͉͕ͤ̎ͥ͑̿̍,̼͔ͧ̆̾͊͋̚ ̵ͯ͑̎ͮ Ỉ̫͔͉̙͎͓̳̋̌ͩ̑ ͯ͒͂͛̊ͪ̚ͅu͕̮̅̓ͨ͌s̠̳͜u̩̇̈́̒͂̒ ͨͅa͔̜̞̫l̇l̛̥̞̃̓ͣ̊͊ÿ́ͤ҉̰̼̞̦̥͕̝ ̛͖͂͂hͦ̊ͩ͐͐͏̣̠͖ȁ̙̥̚ vͧ͘ë̵̱̪͈̭̲͕̯̍͐͊͑ ̞̰ñ̘̊͜o̝͎͇͚̲̾ͅ ̗͍͕̙̮ͮͯ͛ͩͣ͗̑p̛̻̞͉͖͒͐̑͐̑̊ e͕͈̘̫̮̬̰ͣ̃ͬ͌̓̎p̞̯̚i̘̟͙̘̣̤̅̍̉nͬ̎͒g̝̋̐̆̀ͤ̚ ͙ͩ̽ͧ͒ͩ̀u͈͍̝͈̻̞ñ͔̮͉ͮ͆̓t̲̆ͧi̐̓̈́͌͏̜̪̥̹̰l͕͎̺̗̲ͩ͒͐̒̿ͅ ͖͆͋̋̊͆͡ͅm̯̼̲̙͔ͭ͌ͧ̈͋ͥ͌ͅo̰͕͐̒ ͬr̤̥͎̙̻ͯ̃́͐ͮ͐t̝ͥ ̡͇̇̉̏̾ͫ̅ͩt̘̲̻̬̼o̗͎̝̲̍̉͢ ͈͚̪͔͆̊̒̂ͨt͒ͥ̚͏̥̺̰̜͉̺r̡͉̆̅ͩo͍̦̹̩͎̣ͭ́u͕̇͋ ͍͕̤̙͔̙̱ ͩͮ̊͑̀「Chase」͝ l̰͚͓̥͒͝ạ̺̦̲ͨ̋̀ͭ͗ ț̪̲̠̎͆̄ͭͫ͝e͓̰̦̱̗ͩ̍̓͆̈̅̚s̵̮̼̰̜͐̍̑t̵.͈͓̼̘͑̈̽͗̽͋ ̼͍̝̱̆ͣͫ̓́ͨI̳̪̹͒̆ͦͬ̽͞ ͦ̊ͭ̇̊ͧ̚d̮͍͓̼̘̊ͤ͒̚͜ͅn̯͎̦̭̙̆ͩi̥̇̈́̋ n̯̞̙ͬ̀g̟͖͈͔̕.̑ ̠͇̠͉̖͍̞͒̀͆ͧ̎̓J̭̘̟̩̤ͤṵ̥̘͙̖͈̜̊͢ṟ͈̩̟͇͉̯̽̾̿̍̐́̓t̮̻͛̿̀m̹̟͕̩e̼ ̟̺̠̦̟͌ͩ̒ͣͨ̕t̵͙͔̑o͖͚̱̾̀́ ̷̫̹͖̻ͣ͗f̷̙̘̝̔̄ḭ͖̞̌̍̂̾ͩg̙̣̬̝̰͇ͯ͟h͉͖̍ͨ̅ͣt͇ͮ̐ͨ ̧̙͒͆I̫̊̆ ̻̣͖̫̲̾͠w̩͉̤͙̼̐̋͠ͅo̖͉ͭ u̵̠͚̖̯̗͊͐͋ͣ̽ͧͅn̲̳̖̳̰ͪ͊y̤̅̈̐ͮ̿͒ͮ ̲̤̰ͣͯ̐͑̒͜ͅf̧̺̦̯̦̗ͯ̏̅̉̇̐ͅa͇̩͓̼͋͟ͅt̘̪̏͂l̨͎̮͇̙̤͈̍̀̋̌̃d̸̘͍̬͚͍͔n̩͊͜'̨͉̻̦̈́̆̏͑͗ͦ͒ͅͅt͇̜̮͓̰̰ ͖͂͒ͫ͗̾͐̑̕l͓͓͕͒̏̒̋͌ͅö̻̱̦̪̳́s̛̘͍̳̺̯̻̍e̫̟̜͒̏̑ͯ͝ ̹͈̙̦̈́t̸͚͇̰̬̤̩ͫͨͣ͂ͅo̧͌ͬ̒ͫͅn̜̍͌͆͂ͨ̓͒t̆ͧ̊y͔͍̝̜͕̭ͧ͛̃̌͌̔m̛͚̝̖̤͈̐̿͗ͧͮ̿i̖̹͑͜ň̂̎ͦŭ̴̪̻̀̽͆͆̏e̢̟̭̣̅̓p̷̀̇,̻̯̯̰͍͉̥̇̉ͯ͘ ̫̂͂͂̉̐͘n̳̼͙̯̮̠̾͊̎ͣ͐̐oͪͣ͊͆ ͕̘͔̹̟̱̊̕m̙̥̱̘̗̓͒̅ͅa̛̯̜̍̇̑̆̌t̴͍̰̀̊̋͛̑ ẻ̯c̵͉͈̝̭̫̱̒̾ͧͧ͒k̞̣̫̐u͕̣͊ͫp̖̜̺̫̥ͧ̃͋ͦ͞.̂ͦ̇̍̇̇҉͕͈ ̩̼̳̦̈ͤ̇̈́̽ͩI̢͙͕͕̟ͅ'̀m̩͙͉̩͋͗ ͕̦̫͙̮̒͗̒ͨͭͮ̿tr̸͐̃̍̄̇̎̚y̵̞̹̳̩̝̭͑t̬̖̜̔̐̓̔̆̿̚ẹ̽͒ͧ̏ͧ͐̾s̘̬͙̰͒ ̦̼̎̑ö̠̰̠͙̟͉ͭͧ̚f̕ ̻̫̞̗̺̭͈ͦ̾ͫͮ̇̆̀͟ś̷͙̿ t͚̟ͯͦ́̓̎̃̎rë̞̰̯̑͆͆t̥͈̭̳͖̅̐͛ͥ̊ͤc̅ͥ̎ͥͮ̈̌̀ȟ̸̦͎͚̙̞̈́e͌̂҉͍͓̮͉͕̫̪s̟̲͖̩͕ ͈̼̣̩̭͙̳̾b̨̥̜̭̬̼̓̇̿̈̍e̶͕̩̰͍̲̤͂̎ͥ͛f͙͉̟̖̙̫̖͂͒͋o̰̺̝̓̅r̸̭̗̫̹̰̘̒̅̅̈e̓̐̿̊̇͏̬̻̫̠ ̨͖̞̯̮͖̪͛͐͐ͬ͑ͪg͉̘̖̣̲̎͡ǫ͚͈̞͕͇̐ͪ̈́̽҉͚̣ě̠̟̥̯̲̬̒̏ ̲̺̱̬̪̯̍̆́̓ c̯̻̮̖̤̗͐̂̓a͕͕̰̹̫ ͣ͋̅ ̗͇̬̲̺̮̓n̵͖͚͆̓t̘̙ͤ͞ ̮͈̫̤͚̕s̐͊ͨt̜̜̬̗̘͂̆oͨ̽̌ͨ̑̀r̵͚̪̬̊̃ͪe̜͇̘͔ͣͮ͂̓́s̻͑,͚͈͍̇͋̋̽̈́͗ ̬͎͍̰͙̻ͩȁ̶̰̻̜̪̩̪ͫ̈̈̽n̰͇͙̠̭̭ͪ̋̈d͚̖̟̬ͧ͝ ̟͊́I̢̳͚͒̈͊̍ ̻̜̣̝̣ͣg̨̦̲̓e̹͕̜̬̔͒̏͒t͚͇͚̠̻̯̝͋ͤͫ ̡͓ͦͤ̐̃͑̀ḣ̲̦̘̹̰͈̣͒ͥ́̎̊̓͜o̡̞̖͌ͧ͛̿̒̅̿ī̺̪̐ͬ͊i̜͖̖̩̺̗̓̆̎͊͟g̔͐̈́͒̇̓̄҉̻u͑̇̑̐͏͇͔̗̘e̯ ͓͖͙̬̖̘̈ͥ͑͑̑ͮͬo͔͛ͥͫͥ͋r̶̬̼͓͚̘̞̘ͦͥ ͉̰̖̠̑̍̏̂̔s̰̩͌̃͊͋͊ͬ͝t͙̟͎͔͚͞r͜ͅé̴̹̼̖̅͑͌̅̍͒s̻̼͆ͬ͑̆ͬͨs̜ ̬͙̩̋̑̄̀i̱̙̫̪ͭ̉̿̍ͅn̒ͥ͋̽̃̀ ̜͔̳̠̅ͣ͊ͦͪͮ͞t͕ͮͩ̚ḩ̖̞͕̹ͤ̓̆ͯͪͥe͕̟̤͇ ̷̺̮͑͗̃͆m̪̫̯̭o̾̏̑͐̽̚̕r̬̩̘̖ͤ̃͌̋͘n̿ͭ̿҉i̳̗͍̖̳̮̽͆͛̏͢ṉ̤̤̜ͣͮ̏ğ̞͈̭͎̫̄.͎͎̣̖͎͈͒̊̆ ̲̦̱͚͘I̲͓̻͐́ ̬̪͎̱̲ͤͩw̨̹̜̞̘̗̦ͭ̌̎̄a̟͔̹̲̖͋̀ͬ͐̿͑s͛͊̀ͬ̈̎ ͔̲̅̇̌̄̄ͬ̚̕t̓͒̇̋ͤ͆ȍ͓̘͛ͤͥ̿̆l̢͚͚͍̻ͪ̐͛̈́ͫd̖̦͉̭̹̫̦͛ͧ̑͒ ̗͚̘̘ṭ̢̼̝̩̊͆h̵̯̩͖̣̙̞ͣ̌e͙͖̮ͪͯ͜r͕̫͕̩e͔ ̛̞̞͔̖̺̬̘̾̆̅ͫ̀w͚̟̯̘͆̈́eͣͨͮ͏̤r̰ͭ̌͆̏͗ė͙̻̟̪̾ͦ ̷̫͓̣͑ͫ̔̔̾̌ͭn̯͇̈̈ͭ̒ͣ̄̽͝ô͌̇͒̄ͫ̚͏͍̘ ̶̓i̷̻̱͒̽͐̀̃s̖̦͖̝̒̍͐s̵̮ͧͩu̴̜͈̩͙̝̦͎e̲ț͈̒̎ͭ͂̃̚ ̹̥̇è̹̩̪̬̑ͩ̿͐͘i̛̹̣̫̰̦̿̓ͥ͋ͧ͂͊g͚̥̎̔̃̿ͅh͔̤͍̲̹̩̯̆͗ͨ͂̔̓̌͞t̰͍͍̩̥̜ͩ̽ ̫͍͈̥̆h̛͉̻́͌̅͆o̼͇̺̽͗̆̓̏͋͡u̫̥͙̼ṙ̵͈̪̹̅͆ͪ̃̌͛̓ͦ̚g͔͓ͪ͋̄ͪͪͫ ̯͎ͬ̎͋̈́ͪ̉̚͘t̟ ͫ͗ͦ̌ͭ̚t͙̼͉ͥ̆̑ͦͧ̽̇ ͔̅̾̑ͮ̇a̰̅ͣ͑ͭ̓͜n̫̠ś̫͔̟͐̄̽̀ ͊ͭͪͦͭ̈́͊o̹̩͗ͭͩ̍̐f҉͔̱ ̨̙̦̼̟̈͒s̞̰̮̯ͣ̄ͧ̅l̢̟̝̘̦͋̑ͤ̐̚ë̜̒̓̾͊͐̓ ͤ͌ị̪͊ͪ̇͛͟n̞̖g̰͕̰̈́ ̛͉͇̟̣̩̬̫͐ͧt̜̗̝̦̫̬͢oͪͬ̉̕ ̻̺͙̻̬̘̫̇͐ͪͮ͌ẹ͑͋̃͛ͦ̇x̷̫̼͖̲̌̅̓̊̓͗p̮͍̯̪̳ͪ̄̍̓̾̓ l̜̾k͒ ḛ̶͈ 「 Ven 」 ͦ͂ ̼̗̓ͯͤ̀̔̚̕ś͍͙͉̹͇ͦͩù̪̾ ͨͣ̊̇r̻̳̙̥͍̥̒̂͆́̚̕ ĕ̶͈ ̵ͨͧ̑ͭ͋̈̓I̮̼̺͓̪͙ͧ͛ͬ̇͂ͅ ̭̼̝ͅǧ̞͈͕̪̲͎͉ͤt̆̂̈́̀̚͘ȩ͚̰̺̜̭͐͛̎̔ͤ̀̚r̟̪͎̍͐ͮ̎̐̓̄͟ ̔͏̺̯͍̫̭̘w̦̎ͤ̇̓͘h͌̿̅͐̓ a̯ t̶̰̻̣̽ ͣ̎̄̈́ͥ̚.͍̜̾ͨͫ ̻̯̯̙͌̆̇͑͘ ͦ͆̈́w̙̳͚̜̳͙̻ͦ̈́́ͨͬ͌ͦē͙͚̞̝ͧ̾̐͜b̝̄̌̑͗͑B͖ A̳̙ ͪ͌ͩ̚͞f̔ ͬͧ̋t̃̏̌ ͦ͆̈́w̙̳͚̜̳͙̻ͦ̈́́ͨͬ͌ͦē͙͚̞̝ͧ̾̐͜ b̝̄̌̑͗͑ B͖ ͧ̓͒ͩ͡eͤͭ̑ͪ͆̓r̟̠͍̍̽̑̎ͅ ̩͎̞̤̖̹̊ ͥ̉ͧḩ̭͖̝̦̻̱͕͂̊͛̑̊ͬ̀a̦͈̫͖̻ ͩ̋̎̏̿͌͜v̾̊͞í͖̻͍̖̟̰͉̂n̶̠̺̹͖͙̲͍͛ ͮͯ̌͛ͮg̼͎̟ ̰͚̪̭͕̮ͤ̑͒̾â̳̮͍̙̖͕͑̑̿̿ ̮̔g͈̭͇̰̮͖̉͊̋͟ l̰̩̲̓ͫ̂̊a̤ͯ́s̵̻̺̥̜ s̗̩͔̖̺̭͛ͦ̐̓́̑ͮ ͎̫̠̲͈̞̋͋͆̒͆͂͡o̯̤͉̖̟̤͆f͓̣̎ ̶͚͔͔͖ͥ̿̃͗ͥ̚w̢̬ͫ a̳̭̗̹̗͇̜̐ r͍̠̎̍̄͑̒̚m̖͑ͦͥͩ̔ ̤̠̠̬̣̖̤ͭͫͩm͍͚̤̘̖̗͡ i̞ ͧ̈́͡l̹̩͡k̳͇̪̯̙ ̝̓a̴̠͓͊͆̉ͭ̊ͭͨn̯̹͍d̻̼̲̤̺̆ͬͮ ̯͕͙͖̟͇̫ͥd͈̬͔o͉̜͕̺̲̱̙ in̘̤̔͋͂̒̓ ͫ̀g͌ ͬ ̗̜̳̰͂ͨ͡ȧͫͥ̇̊ͭͬb̝ͣ̐̓́̆ͭ̊ŏ̹̇ͯ̈͆u̸̮͐ͮ͑ͦ̌t̖̮͆͡ ͍̒́n̹͍͇̩̤͎̍ͅ '̇̒̑̇̑͋̋t̸̞̟͚̐ ̢ͩͩ́ͩ̔̍s͕̗̱̝̮͕̭ͥ̓ṃ̸͙̙ͧo̺̖̻̻͉̠ͦ̑ ͥ͌k̲̳̲͇ͦ̉e̠̠̟͈̗̹̞ͧ̈̒͢,̸̰̟̥̻͙̪̑̒͊̔͛̋ͨ ͔̪͓̬ͫͪ̽͂ͪ̑ͪb̰̰̳̐͆̊̊ͨ͠ũ̝̔͆ͩ͌͢ẗ̞́̈́ͭ̃͊ ̴͍̗̩͍̲̝͊́ͬ͑̎̌ͅI̛̤̫͚̿͆ ͫ ̮̜͢o̊̔͛ͅc̡̻͖̗͓ c̥̪̙a͛̈́̓̓͐̓͋s̸̪͕̣͓͈ l̜̼̳̙̟̥ͩ̐ͮ͠o͔͎̻͕ͬͤ́ṡ͉͖͈͍̫̫ ͯ͊ͅȇ͙͑͊̂ ͉̼̝ͫͭͬͬ͢ͅs̤̳̝̬̚ l̬̪̹̬ͤ͗ͫ͒̾ẻ̤̙̻̥͓̱ͣ e̴̖̹̘̯ͥ̑̋͒̓͗̎p̳̟̗̮̰̆̈́̊̅ ̒ͨá̘ͤţ̤̌̉̉̃ ̇ͤ̓͏͕̳n̫̦̙̻͕̐i̴͔̗̲̪̿̄ͯ́̄g͔͚͎̟͎̑h͖̱͔̭̗t͑̃̋̏͏̫.̢ͫ͂̊ ҉̣̙̭̠̲T̨̘̝͔̾̓́ͣͮ̀h͎̞͖̠͚̟ͮ̓a̸̝̬̎ṯ͚̗̫́͋̃ ̳͎͞i̢̞͚̲͓̱̞̲̿͊̌̔̿̾s͙̩̖̠̗͉͍ͨ͂ͯ̆̇̚ ́̊̿̈̊̐̏͏̻ t̶̹͙͖̫͎̋͑̿͒wͤͯ̽͑҉̣͇̞̠̳͙̮ě̡̜̥͔̳͎̙̎͌ ṛ͚̭̙͖̰̿̍ͬͫe͙͙̖ͫͤ̄ͪ̓ ̴̳̖͓ṉ̳̤͙̹ͅô̵̯̥̺̰͚ o̱͆̄h͔̫͌ o̱̥ ͭͥ ͣ͒ͭ̊ ͨ͝ͅẇ̊͋ ͩ̍ͨ̿ ͈ͩ̄̒͒̔̍̋̕I̶͉̪̮͓̦̘̥ͫͮ̌ͯ ̦͎̎̃͒ͥͦͬ͠d̮͙̒͢eͨ̈̌͗ ḁ̗̗̺̌l͒ͦ̾҉͓̙͈͖̭̻ ͎͉̠̙͎͇͈͗ͧͪͤͬ̎w͈̬̳̩̘͍̄ͧ̏ͦ̚i̦ͨͥ͑ͮ́ẗ̤́ͣ̄͌h͔̖̳̘̀ș̬̞̺̲̂̀̐ͮ͑ͩ̚oͦ̈̉ͯͬ̉ͭ҉͈̞̠̹c̺ä̲́͜ i̫͖̟͕͙̩̽ͧ̓͘n̲̩̉͊̽̈́́̂̐ͅ ̫͖̘̻͔͎̉ͬ̀t̬͈̖̘̞̰ͦ͊h á̬̞̽̅ͧ̍͋͗t̰̦̬͙̉̾̓̆̋ͮ̉ͅ ͇̠̰͚ͨ͛̑Í̝̭̀͡'̪͓̂̇̓m̞ͯ͑͌ͮ̀ ̺̰̱̄a̬ͪ͒ͣͥ ͪ̂̄̓̃̓͛͏̖̫̘̠͔̘p̪͙̦͍̞͉ͯ̈́̄̏̎ͅe͍͎̱ ủ̘̉̓̒̽͑̏ġ͖̀ h͔͎͇̻̓͗͐͒ͧ̆,͙̭͚͚̝̝́͑̊̂ ̮͚̤̣̈ͨ̀͂̀̚ĭ̺͊͗̃̀f̲̹̙̙̯̂̈́͊̃ͦ ̙̖̎ͭ̃̊I̊ ̪̺̠͌̇̑̉ẁ̸̝̟̪̓e̥̥̥ͩ͑̿́̒ r̷̜̱̮̬͔͇̳̽ ͥ͗̽̊e̪ͬͦ͑̚̚͝aͣ̿̉̊̒̄҉͍̥̭͚͇͚̝ ṉ̻̥ͩͣͯ́y͕͆ͨ̓ͯ͌͛ͫ̑n̠̰̥̼ͫͥ͗̾ͩ͐ â̻͇͎̝̈̃ͨ̏̚͜l̢͚̮̩͚̹̦̞̀̇͒͐l̮̦̥̯̜͈͛y̹͇͉̤̖̓͂̌ͣ̓ͮ ͈͚̜͎̖͈̲̌d͍̾r̘ͬ̉ͦ͛ͧͅ i̱̯͎̱̹̙̹͊͑̃ͧͨ̊̈n̸͔̟ͥ̇ͫ͋̉̓k̖̱͉̗̀.̖ ̸́͆ͤͬIͯ͒ͨ̓'ͪͩ͡m͖̙̗̯͍͖̻͐̓ͧ̂͂ ̨͈͖̥͇͚̻̾̆͆̑ͤ̚ͅi͖̱͠n̠̪̦͈ͭ ̛̲b̯͔̰̱e͉̩͙̭͔͊ͩ̔̒̚ͅͅ d̘͇̺̣̘̗͋̅̅ ̴̼̰̯̓ͬb̮̯͇̩͙̂̌͊͝y̠̭̖̥͌ͥ̓͒ ̜̺̳̬̞̘͈1̢ơ͉̩̳̥̺̼̋̒̔͂̒̃̚ n̹̝̰͔͗ͨ͂ͅe̛̯̘ͯ͒ͫ̆̒.̭̞  
  
  


“「 Ven. 」” Snapped free of the maddening chatter, Nobody Knows held onto his scratched arm. Lorne, haloed by the morning sun, adorned by sapphires and peridots of rainfall, gently pulled him up. The two of them fled the park, just before the joggers regained their minds. The tingle and scratch of television static still hung in the air.

As the sun began to set the duo managed upon a spot where Ven’s Nobody Knows started patting the grass, drawing a line with its staff.  
  


“This it buddy?” Ven held his hip and drank some water. Lorne looked around, cautious not to step into the open and kempt lawn. Safety was in the tree line, even if there wasn’t anyone out in the open, they were sure somebody would ask questions why two people darted out of the forest.  
  


“Looks like it. No patrolman. Can little dude make us invisible?”  
  


“I’m not really sure…” kneeling down, Ven pat Nobody Knows, “Can you do that little guy?” It held a stubby hand to what would normally be a mouth but was a group of tendrils. After a moment it shot its hand up and bounced around, waving the jeweled scepter at both Lorne and Ven. Their eyes met with Ven’s as their forms began to fade into the back of their minds. Neither could see one another. It was much more like glancing away, or how things vanish if you focus on something close by more intently. Both had turned their gaze to the manicured lawn. They had reached some section of the border, it seemed abandoned recently, but it may not stay that way for long. Maybe switching shifts or something. Rain began to drip down from the skies above.  
  
“Let’s go.”


	2. Beats and Rhymes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ven and Lorne make it to Goodwater Canada, a small town just about two miles from the border to the US. Together they find their path, their steps to the next few weeks.

Lorne followed the sound of Ven’s shoes, how they longed to let their feet rest. To go back home. To watch stupid videos and laugh. To not feel so heavy, to not want to cry, to not want to give up. Lost in thought, Lorne hadn’t been aware just how far they had gotten. Standing outside a small restaurant and gas station, Ven had put down their cloaking and pulled out some cash.

“We’ll eat and find a hotel ok?” Ven’s heavy and warm hand held Lorne’s scruffy cheek, leaning ever so slightly into his touch.

“Ok.” Lorne breathed out, holding his hand.

“Nearly there, I think.” Ven tried to encourage Lorne, going on to think 「Wherever “There” is.」 Offering Lorne a smile and their hands held together for a few seconds. Just long enough to feel their hearts beating before entering the tiny diner. Nobody turned their heads, save for a waitress; she stepped out from behind the counter, making her way over to them.

“Hi, good evenin’! My name is Sherry and I’ll be your server tonight.” Snatching up a few menus, she brought them over to a quiet section of the diner, setting down all of the silverware and waiting patiently. Nobody Knows excitedly hopped in closest to the window, watching a seagull peck at a truck driver. Lorne sat next to them and Ven on the other side.

“Do you guys know what you want to drink or would you like me to give you a moment? I can grab you just a water for now if you’d like. You look thirsty.” Holding onto their arm, they glanced up to Ven and then up to Sherry, feigning a smile, the kind that Ven longed to see on their face for a while now.

“Water for now would be great. I think we need a minute, I appreciate it.” Sherry nod and offered them a warm smile in response, hopping over to the front counter to get them some water and serve a few other guests. Ven sat still. His back stiffened and his hair on end.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” Lorne followed his eyes and turned to the little Stand, it was drawing on a placemat with a crayon, depicting a map of the area.

“She gave Nobody Knows a placemat- A Stand User?” They shook, and then they heard her heals clicking, unsure what to do. 「Attack?」 Or was it time to finally use Lorne’s Stand again?

“You both look exhausted.” She fiddled with the stitching on her apron, watching them with a nervous caution on her lips and eyes. “I know a place in town that wont ask questions, dirt cheap and clean.” Sherry handed Lorne water and a cola with pineapple juice. Next, she placed down a water with some lime for Ven.

“I’m not going to hurt you. I understand, rest up and when you’re hungry just flag me down ok? On the house this time.” Tapping the table gently, her ring clacked against the epoxied wood. Once she stepped far enough away, Ven relaxed and turned slightly in his seat. Nobody Knows had already slithered away and loomed behind her, unheard, unseen.

“Can you read her from here?” Lorne asked, but Ven was already deep in concentration, searching her mind.

“We’re safe. That or she’s really good at hiding information.” They relaxed and sank into the seats. They sipped on their water, Lorne on their cola after drinking the whole glass of water and ice.

“Her wedding ring,” Lorne thought out loud.

“What?” He looked to Lorne who watched her carefully, resting their head on their hands.

“Her ring is on the wrong hand, but it's a wedding ring. Maybe a widow?”

“Maybe?” After some time passed and several rounds of water, they ordered some food, business died down and she sat down beside their table.

“If you guys need some directions to the Syrup Motel, it’s not far but it can be a little confusing.” She offered them an official town map from their tourist board by the front door. Nobody Knows slapped both of its little teddy bear hands onto the table, speaking incoherently about the injustice it would serve to the artist rendition of Goodwater Canada that they had produced with their wax crayon and the back of a dining placemat. The Injustice Madam!

“We’d appreciate it, thanks! And thank you for the food. We haven’t had a real meal in a few days now.” NK dropped its head in defeat to its User’s appreciation, sitting down beside Lorne and focusing its attention on Sherry.

“How far back did we stop at that one restaurant?” Lorne asked more so for themselves and their memory.

“I think it was back in Vermont, just near the edge of New Hampshire. Claudette’s I think.”

“That’s it. It’s been…” Lorne looked out the window trying to find the words.

“It’s been one hell of a trip so far.” Ven finished for them, half laughing.

“It ain’t easy being on the run. I know, believe me.” 「 _So not a widow, on the run from family maybe, but she also has a Stand. I can sense it I just can’t see it._ 」 Lorne thought.

“Have you fought any other Stand Users?” They asked her, she looked a bit taken aback.

“Only a couple of times. But it wasn’t really much of a fight. Most of these thugs going around only have combative weapon type Stands.”

“Weapon types?” Ven scanned his own brain, trying to think of the Stand Users they had fought so far. Come to think of it, none of them had any manifestation that they could see, just a strange aura like burning gas, but then, so did Lorne. Thinking back to the last fight, the vagrant with the metal pole, they hadn’t found it after he got knocked out.

“What do they want?” Lorne looked into her eyes, hoping for an answer.

“I-I’m not sure. They just started popping up more frequently. They seem to be under the impression that you can take someone else’s Stand powers. But that’s not possible, I don’t think.” Sherry seemed deep in thought, “Listen, you didn’t hear it from me but there’s a big shipping truck coming through in a week.” Ven nibbled on a French fry and listened carefully, Nobody Knows collecting this information. “They take things back down to the states and this one is headed right for Indianapolis, I hear. It’s about a thirteen-hour drive and you wouldn’t get attacked.”

“Why would we head back to the states?” Lorne jabbed, although they didn’t exactly mean to.

“Well for one you could find whatever remains of the Speedwagon Foundation, although last I heard of them they fell apart or something. There’s the Standing Foundation further west, somewhere in California. Get there and they could help you.”

“Why haven’t you gone?” Lorne narrowed their eyes, less to intimidate and more to concentrate. A million machines in their mind clicking and tocking at once.

“Well, I can hold my own, besides,” she looked to her ring and then to them, “I got a special someone I need to watch out for. They don’t see Stands like us.”

“Isn’t it dangerous?” Ven’s eyes steeped with dew and mist.

“Yea, of course, but I have Todd back there in the kitchens, he keeps us safe. In more than one way. His Stand, White Noise, it pacifies the Battle Instinct in Stand Users that enter his vicinity.” She sighed and muttered, “Doesn’t do much for bigots though, but he deals with those just fine.”

“I don’t think we have enough money for a whole week. We really should keep moving.” Lorne had begun but Sherry quickly spoke up,

“You can work here if you need to! Paid under the table, free lunch and dinners, guaranteed. Plus, a place to stay, free of charge, we just ask that you clean up whatever you use.” Lorne and Ven looked into one another’s eyes, speaking without the need to move their lips.

「 _Think it’s a good idea?_ 」 Ven used NK to hear Lorne’s voice.

 __「 _What other choice do we have?_ 」 He replied,

 __「 _The hotel, remember?_ 」 Lorne chuckled and Ven scratched the back of his head; at least they wouldn’t need to pay for a hotel if they accepted. “We’d really appreciate it, thank you.”

“No problem! Give me a little time to cleanup and we can head to my place, Todd walks me home because we live next to one another.”

“Great thank you!” They of course got up to help her; although she declined several times they were slippery and managed to clean up most of the dining room. It wasn’t much longer that she had counted her tips, cleared the register and set up for the next morning.

“Ok gang, let’s head out.” Todd stepped out from the back, a very tall man covered in tattoos and one cataract eye. His voice spoke quietly, smoothly and softly, just a little heavier than Lorne’s.

“Can you trust them Sherry?” The two felt their hearts in their throats, ready for something to happen.

“I think so. They haven’t tried to hurt us and you put your Stand away an hour ago right?”

“Too tired for using White Noise today. Didn’t use it once.” He heaved a hefty sigh and let them out of the diner. The gas station would remain open, but it was card only at this time of night. As soon as Todd locked up they followed Sherry, the tallest of the group just behind them. It wasn’t too far from the diner, but their feet were so tired, and they were so tired too. Ven held it in a bit easier, but Lorne had begun limping, unable to handle the strain.

“We’ll get you all patched up when we get inside ok? It’s dangerous to be out at night.” Todd offered to them and stepped up to a porch with two adjacent doors. Unlocking and stepping into the dark one, he would return later. Sherry unlocked the other door, warm and well lit. Showing them in, they stood in a small foyer beside some old and narrow steps. Old carpets woven by hand were under their weary feet. She tossed her keys into a china dish on an accent table, using another key to unlock the next door into the actually home.

“We keep a different key for the inside because the landlord likes to snoop. Still thinks it’s theirs. We bought this side of the house from the landlord’s ex-wife. Nice lady, she runs the motel!” Sherry struggled with the lock a bit, Lorne awkwardly offering their hand to help. After a second there was a metal snap and the door creaked open.

“Estelle! Honey we have guests!” Lorne waited clumsily by the door, beside Ven and Nobody Knows. A woman with long hair braided into thick strands with shells and gold stepped out into the hall.

“Guests?” Justifiably, she looked angry and nervous, seeing filthy people standing in her doorway. Holding her arms and shaking her head, “Sherry no. You- Who even are they?”

“My cousin, Lorne and his boyfriend Ven.”

“You and I both know-“ Lorne didn’t think this was the proper time to correct Sherry, they stood quietly, holding onto their backpack. “Now send them off.”

“Stel, please. You and I ran away too once. I wish I had met someone kind enough to give us a place to sleep.” Sherry held Estelle’s hand. “To rest our feet.” She looked to both of them and shook her head again.

“Fine, but they stay in the empty apartment upstairs.”

“I know it’s really sudden and kind of weird to have strangers in your home, we just need a place for the night. We’d really appreciate the room upstairs.” They paused and lowered their backpack, “We just need somewhere safe for a night. We’ll be leaving tomorrow.” Lorne politely offered. Estelle nod and unfolded her arms.

“It wouldn’t be the first time Sherry’s brought something home without telling me.”

“Listen, those rabbits needed a home too! You guys can stay upstairs until that truck comes through.” Sherry argued, Estelle gave her a weak frown.

“Sure Sherry. You do at least take care of those rabbits. Listen, if you boys need anything there’s a convenience shop just across the street and two houses down. There should be towels and a bed still in the apartment upstairs.”

“Thank you, we won’t stay longer than we need to.” Ven assured them. Estelle sighed and offered them a polite “Good night.” Sherry rubbed her arm before showing them the spare key to the front door and the apartment.

  * • • 



Ven and Lorne lay in a bed atop an old blanket that Todd had given them to borrow, each had put ointment on their sores and bandages. The convenience store had everything they needed, snacks, drinks, soaps and first aid. Lorne lay there, they smelt of rose and aloe. Ven brushed their hair and rolled over. Having taken a hot shower, food in their bellies and medicine on their wounds, they felt relaxed and the exhaustion had begun to take over.

“Do you really want to go all the way to California? I mean, we made it this far, why not just settle here?” Lorne woefully breathed, even they didn’t like the words that came out of their mouth. 「They taste like defeat.」

“I mean, if we have a chance to maybe get our old lives back then maybe it would be worth it. Besides with Nobody Knows we could just find a way back here.”

“Yea.” Lorne curled up and their breathing changed just a moment later, Ven not far behind them.

  * • • 



Birds chirped, light falling over them, dust and particles drifting about the air like fairy dust. Lorne woke to the smell of bacon, French toast and butter. Up and out of bed, they trudged into the next room. As they opened their eyes they felt their chest heave, settling after a moment.

“Good morning,” Ven stood up from his seat at a small dining room table; Lorne scratched their toes in the carpet.

“Morning… Where did this come from?” they stepped up to the table, rubbing the lip of a glass of orange juice with their finger, forcing it to sing.

“Estelle said it came from Todd. It’s really good!” Ven helped Lorne into a seat and got them a plate nearly a mile high with delicious breakfast treats. The largest cup of iced coffee had been set for each of them. Lorne found theirs as sweet as hot chocolate, but it occurred to them that only Ven knew how they liked their coffee.

“Did you get the coffee?” Ven looked up from his bacon and chuckled.

“Conveemyense stowe!” Crunching the bacon he wiped his mouth and spoke again, “Convenience store, they had these huge frozen coffees! It was a slushy before you got up.”

“Sorry.” Lorne set their fork down and looked out of the window in the pantry.

“It- Don’t be. Maybe before all this I would have been the one apologizing, but after I got NK, I get it, it was out of our control.” Lorne waited before venturing to ask,

“Did you ever find any scrap of information, anything as to why they’re after us?”

“No, just that they want more power. Sherry’s right, they’re trying to take our power to get stronger themselves.” It was silent for a while, even as they ate. Lorne sighed and set their plates into the sink in the pantry.

“Well, we only have one change of clothes left so I suppose we should either buy new clothes or wash what we have. I vote on buying new clothes. It would help keep cover.”

“Agreed. Let’s get changed and find a clothing store.” Just then, Nobody Knows hopped off the table. It began showing them both a map, tapping a particular spot repeatedly.

“Clothing store?” It nod furiously and circled the spot, dotting lines from their location to it.

“Isn’t it a little weird that it kind of just picks up information?” Ven rubbed his arm.

“It’s probably some kind passive ability, an eavesdropping technique, collecting unprotected information that people don’t need to hide mentally.” Lorne took the map when it finished and made their way to the bedroom to get dressed. Ven took the opportunity to head downstairs. Making his way down he met with Estelle, she had dressed in a waitressing uniform, locking the door to her house.

“Hey,” Ven waved and smiled, she returned the wave and smiled a shyly.

“Oh, good morning uf- Fern was it?”

“Nope, but that would be a cool name! Ven, I was wondering if you needed anything while we’re in town?” She scrunched up her brow and thought for a moment, shaking her head.

“No thank you, you both be safe out there though, ok?”

“Will do!” Ven hopped back up the narrow steps and heard Lorne, they were whispering, but he couldn’t hear what they were talking about. It felt kind of shameful to use Nobody Knows, but he had to be sure everything was ok. The guilt sank and weighted down his large belly when it picked up nothing. 「 _Lorne’s mind is like a steel plate._ 」 As soon as Ven had opened the door, Lorne had stopped, turning directly to him.

“Ready?” Ven grinned.

“As ready as I can be.” Lorne sighed and snatched up one of the wallets they had picked up in their voyage. They made it down the street and hopped onto a bus. Ven had done it plenty of times before, but Lorne had only ever ridden school busses, it was a little odd watching them struggle to pay the fare. Ven helped them and brought them to a few seats back. The bus ride wasn’t too long, but something was up with Lorne the whole ride. They kept watch on a hooded man, via the bus mirrors, in the way back. Normally it was usual for someone to hide in the way back, but Lorne also didn’t stare for just any reason either. Their spirit pyre began to crackle around the edges of their being. 「Their Stand?」 Ven thought to himself.

“What’s wrong?” He whispered.

“Something’s off with that guy back there. He’s wrong somehow.”

“I mean, he looks like just a-“ ゴ ゴ ゴ ゴ NK was glaring now too. The bus stopped and they got up quickly, Lorne blinked, watching something wriggle under the hood, they both turned to the bus driver and quickly said

“Thank you for the ride!” before the two of them leapt out, the door to the bus shut quickly as a shambling mass stormed up, what should have been their head thumping into the glass repeatedly. Some group of creatures mashed together, a Stand of some kind, was trying to get out, and feebly too. 「 _A Stand with no user?_ 」 The bus hissed and drove off, out of sight.

“What was it?”

“I don’t know, it looked like a Stand, but I didn’t see the User.”

“Excuse me? Are you telling me that wasn’t a man but actually a Stand in a trench coat?”

“Yes’ir.” Looking at each other Ven shrugged and waited for Lorne to catch their bearings, they had gotten off at just the right stop, conveniently. It appeared to be a thrift store. It was clean and quiet although it was not without the murmur of shoppers and the gliding sound of metal on rails. Lorne followed Ven to the back, searching through a decade of clothes. Lorne managed to find an outfit just for them. Black capris with a neon green vein going up the sides and a t-shirt and hoodie that matched almost exactly. They found several similar outfits. Ven turned to them with a small pile of his own. He gave Lorne “The Look”, a frequent lifting of an eyebrow and a disappointed gaze directly into their eyes. No psychic powers required. Lorne sighed dramatically and grabbed another outfit, a different one to help hide their identity, if they wore similar clothes it may be easy to spot them.

“There, something different.” Lorne showed Ven with a dramatic offering of clothes and a chuckled. Ven laughed quietly and gave them an approving nod.

“Good choice.” It was good, it felt normal even, but Ven and Lorne both hoped that this entire situation wouldn’t become the norm. It sat heavy in their hearts, yanking at their ribs and chest. At least this ride on the bus hadn’t been as strange, although, a man on the bus tried to sell Lorne a baggie full of corn. The deal was too good to pass; this man said it was golden corn! It would grow into solid gold blocks! Alas, Lorne had to pass up on such a generous offer. The corn monger didn’t take too kindly to this and began throwing baggies at them. Thankfully they had made it to their stop before he could toss anything heavy. Sherry was there, waiting to greet them in her light brown cardigan. Lorne noticed that it had been hand knit, uneven in some places.

“Hiya! I see you picked up some clothes.” She snickered and shoved her hands into her apron.

“Yep, just to keep our cover.” Ven winked.

“Ah, very smart.” She grinned and clicked her heels, “Our second waitress finally decided to grace us with her presence so I got the rest of today off. But, I also wanted to know, do you plan on leaving town? Tonight?” She held her hands behind her back, watching them carefully for a response. Lorne sighed and shifted onto one leg, holding their hip.

“I supposed we can stay until that truck gets here. Ven and I were talking earlier this morning and maybe it would be best to reach out to this Standing Foundation, they may be able to help or we can help them.” Ven gave her a little grin and Lorne also smiled, genuinely this time.

“Great! Todd has a job for you too! If you’d like to start tomorrow we can go over everything at the diner tonight. You’ll get paid well!”

“What kind of job?” Ven tilted his head a little.

“Don’t know, just said it’s ‘The Job for them’.” She shrugged and walked with them back to the apartment. After packing their things and setting up several emergency escape plans with Nobody Knows, Sherry brought them back to the gas station diner. It was getting late by then so there wouldn’t be any issue of being overheard by anyone outside of their group. Todd sat them down with some sandwiches and fries.

“What’s this job you need done?” Lorne was ready for the worst, waiting to eat their food. Ven picked at a few fries.

“Well, we got a little infestation if you know what I mean. I’m sure you seen them on your way up north.”

“The thugs and vagrants with weapon Stands? Sure.” Ven crossed his arms and sat back.

“No no no, I’m talking about the Beats and Rhymes.” Both leaned in on an elbow, confused.

“A what? Like the music?”

“A Beat is an animal shaped monster, a Rhyme is a small bug looking beast. They’re made up of lingering fighting spirit.” Lorne’s eyes flashed, they and Ven both remembering back to the lonely Stand on the bus.

“We saw one today I think. It was in a coat. I thought it was a Userless Stand.”

“Ah, yup that’s them. They’re kinda like ghosts. Lingering emotions so powerful that they take a form. But these things are physical, they don’t usually go after normal folk but if they can’t find a Stand User they’ll do what they gotta.”

“What do they do exactly?” Lorne leaned closer in, resting on both of their elbows, Nobody Knows listening and recording everything in their way.

“They leech off of ya, kinda sap you dry until there’s nothing left but skin, bone and guts in ya.”

“Do you think that’s how these enemy Stand Users are trying to gather power?” Ven jumped.

“Maybe, but I think it’s just from all the emotion and energy left over from wars and things. Lots of new Stand Users popping up in the world. But it’s weird that they only appeared recently, with the uprising of the goons.” Todd hid his mustache behind both hands.

“What’s the job then?” Lorne asked and he turned his eyes to them.

“What I need you to do is squash any you find nearby. I think there’s a nest of ‘em in the woods by the train tracks but I ain’t got the time to check. I’ll pay you twenty loonies per Rhyme and thirty for a Beat. Now I can’t count how many you exterminated so I’m relying on your honesty. You seem like good folk though.”

“How much is a loonie in American dollars?” Lorne pressed, although they tried to be polite.

“Well, about twenty loonies is about fifteen or fourteen US dollars. I can get you American cash if it’s easier.”

“It would be, we’re taking the-“ Ven began but Lorne noticed the look on Sherry’s face and cut over him.

“We’re taking a train back to the US in a week. We plan on finding the Standing Foundation if not the Speedwagon Foundation.” Sherry relaxed and Ven noticed, waiting for Todd to reply.

“I see. Well, let me see your stands boys. Let’s make sure you got what it takes to take on the job.” Lorne wanted to correct him but they swallowed it down, standing up and cracking their neck.

“Should probably do this outside.” Todd raised an eyebrow and showed them out through the back. Ven went up first.

“Uh, does anybody want to be my assistant?” He joked and waved his arm like a stage magician, bowing theatrically for show. Todd gave a little snorting laugh and stepped up.

“Don’t hold back on me now.”

“Nobody Knows!” Todd instantly felt a shock from the center of his brain, the hands of something holding onto his fragile organic processor, the caress of a smooth finger running across the tender flesh. Then, TV static. When he finally came to again, Todd swung his hefty arms, leaping back. It was much later in the evening now, much, much later.

“What the hell was that?!”

“A taste of my Stand.” Ven held himself victorious! Posing with delight, Lorne clapping beside Sherry.

“ _That_ thing?!” Todd jabbed a finger down to the tiny cephalopod thing.

“Yup. It can punch really hard too.”

“Convenient against human enemies but you’ll need to think of a way to beat up the Beat and Rhymes, they’re not human, they don’t got a brain. I believe ya though, I’m sure it packs a punch. I can give you both weapons to protect yourselves but your best bet is to just use your stand.” Todd struggled to step back over to Sherry, Lorne high fived Ven as they stepped up to the spot.

“Got anything I can punch?” Todd gave them a nod, pulling out an old scarecrow from the Halloween decorations and setting it down near where they stood. Lorne took a deep breath and unleashed their bonfire aura, Sherry gasped and Ven watched with worry in his eyes,

「“ _Do you think they’re gunna be ok showing off their stand?”_ 」 _NK replied,_

「 _They’ll be fine. I get the feeling that’s not their full stand anyway_. 」 Lorne pulled back and punched straight through the wood and straw, destroying it almost entirely, fractured bits of wood and straw flying about. Lorne swiped the air and slashed out a burst of their pyre, scorching the ground, setting the remains of the decoration ablaze with spirit fire.

“Wow! So dramatic. So spicy!” Sherry clapped along side Ven and NK who spoke again to just his User.

「 _I was just thinking the same thing!_ 」 Ven gave out a chuckle and Todd gave them a nod.

“Good enough for me. You can start off small tomorrow, just clear off anything that gets too close.” Todd sent them on their way, Sherry would be safe with them on their short walk to the house. He stayed behind to clean and lock up for the night. As he picked up the old Scarecrow to toss it into the dumpster, he found that the splinters were nowhere to be found. No splinters, no broken bits, no fallen pieces of clothes from the decoration at all. It was is it had all disappeared.

“Or maybe it did burn up in that Spirit Pyre of their’s.” Todd knew much more about Stands than most of the Stand Users in town. He also knew that one’s Spirit Pyre was just the aura. That it is unleashed before manifesting a stand, sometimes while using it, a sort of byproduct of using a Stand’s power. He had never seen someone’s aura burn that tall or burn that viciously before, certainly not enough to literally burn up things. It didn’t seem to burn with any intention though on Lorne, it simply burned wild, untamed. Todd wondered what that meant for their stand too.

  * • •   
  




Ven and Lorne lay in bed, both thinking about tomorrow and what it may bring. How strong these Beats and Rhymes really could be and just how dangerous they were even.

“Do you think we should have asked more about these Beat and Rhymes?” Lorne turned over to look at Ven properly, waiting for his answer.

“Maybe, but it kind of sounds simple enough to me. Energy Ghosts that suck us dry of our spiritual strength. Do you think that’s why we haven’t seen too many people around here?” Ven lay with their arms wide across the bed, one resting atop Lorne’s eyes. They thought about it for a while, and Ven was right, they hadn’t seen a great deal of people around. The weather hadn’t exactly been the best but perhaps it was quiet because of the infestation.

“You noticed too? Did you sense anything with NK?”

“Nothing really, but it would explain why Todd told us the other night that it’s dangerous to be out at night.” Ven verbally recalled their first night in town.

“That would all make sense. We should stick close in case we get overwhelmed. I wonder if Todd’s Stand, what was it called?”

“White Noise?” Ven tried to remember.

“Yea, thanks, I wonder what his stand can do other than just pacify.” They were quiet for a while, resting peacefully. When Ven was asleep, Nobody Knows had curled up against him. Lorne looked down to the palm of their hand, a black mark emblazoned on their skin. It resembled an eye with a large pupil and exaggerated tear ducts.

「̴̷͡Y͟͝o͏̷͞u ̨͜ne̴҉è͡d ̢m̵ȩ̸.͘」̧ ̵The voice came from the darkness in the next room. Lorne took a deep breath, looking out into the dark parlor in front of them.

「What for exactly? All you do is ruin everything.」 Lorne stood up from the bed, squeezing their fist.

「No.̛.. ̷T͘ha͏t's҉ yoùr ̶j́ob. ͠I̷sn̡'t i̴t?͝」̢ Lorne snatched up their water bottle, tossing it into the dark and growling as laughter dissipated into the moonlight. They wanted to scream and punch something, to destroy and to wreck, but they couldn’t. All they could do was seethe and brood. Lay down. Go to sleep.


	3. White Noise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ven and Lorne take on an extermination job at the Goodwater Fuel and Dine restaurant. Lorne struggles with their mental health and struggles to find balance. Will that get enough cash to make it to California?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone, this chapter will be a little darker than the first. While it is only a skin deep observation of mental illness, Lorne’s experiences are based on my own experiences and may be triggering to those that may also deal with it. 
> 
> I am privileged and grateful to have someone I can turn to always, but not everyone is as lucky or has access to such a privilege.
> 
> I know that it can be scary or uncomfortable to, but if you are in need of help please reach out to a medical professional. Below I’ve listed a few resources such as the suicide hotline, their official website and a site that offers information on mental health. 
> 
> National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  
> 1-800-273-8255 
> 
> https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
> 
> https://www.mentalhealth.gov/
> 
> Be safe and be well readers.

Chapter 3  
White Noise

Ven woke earlier than Lorne, it wasn’t unusual in the slightest, it was actually more common than not. He showered and dressed, stepping over to the window in the pantry and opening it wide. A cold breeze immediately swept through.

「Better wear a jacket.」 he thought. Heading back into the bedroom, Ven found Lorne, sitting up and bundled in the blanket. They had their eyes closed and rubbed their face with a fist full of bed sheet.

“Good morning.” He almost whispered.

“Good mornin’ honey…” Ven felt his heart aflutter, Lorne hadn’t called him that in weeks, it felt as warm and as cozy as hot chocolate in the dead of winter with whipped cream, cinnamon and marshmallows. Placing a gentle kiss on their forehead, Ven quickly helped them get ready. Once they were dressed, warm and snug, they both met Todd at the diner.

“Todd?” Lorne called out, nobody was around in the dining area, although there were plates, cups and many mugs about. They had just gotten in after the breakfast rush.

“Yo!” Stepping out of the kitchen, he left another cook out back to handle the meticulous stove cleanup. After wiping his hands he leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen.

“You’re here to start the day I see. Good, I like an eager employee. I have White Noise activated so you’ll have head towards the woods.”

“We were actually going to ask about your Stand, it deters the Beats and Rhymes too right?” Lorne sat down at the bar.

“Yep, they’re made up of fighting spirit right? Then they’re subdued.”

“Have you tried to attack any yourself?” Ven sat down next to Lorne. Todd called for his employee to get two coffees and some eggs with toast.

“Sure have. Problem is, there’s been a lot of bloodshed out here. Lots of needless violence left a lot of scars.” The kitchen bell rang and Todd served them.

“How often have you seen them?” Lorne added three scoops of sugar and two creamer cups for their coffee. Their eyes stuck to Todd the entire time.

“Well, in the past few months I’ve seen a huge increase, I’d say a three hundred percent increase from a year ago.”

“That’s a huge difference!” Ven jumped, his eyes darting to an old radio beside the kitchen window, a low static rumbled out of it. “Is that your Stand?”

“It’s part of it. It works by touching devices that use radio or sound and emits a low hum that only Stand Users can hear. There’s another radio out back too.” Lorne watched it carefully, taking a sip of their coffee and taking a bite of their toast. After they finished their breakfast, Todd filled them in on where he had last seen a group of Rhymes. He explicitly instructed not to enter the woods more than three trees in, otherwise they’d lose sight of the fields by the waves of Beats and Rhymes.

“They tend to pull people away from open areas.”

“Noted, thanks Todd.”

“Be safe out there. Keep those flames burning high.” Todd gave them a lazy little salute and head back to the kitchen to get ready for the lunch rush. They greeted Sherry just as she arrived. Out through the kitchen exit and next to the dumpster they found two weapons waiting for them. Two baseball bats, one painted to look like ocean water, covered in band stickers while the other had a popular cat icon, it was also bright pink. Beyond the grassland, the two of them stood on a rocky patch above the tall grass. Watching and waiting for any sign of movement in the woods or field.

“Do you think we’ll actually see one?” Ven turned to Lorne with a grin, even if he felt nervous on the inside.

“Maybe. You nervous too?” They swat away something near their ear, the metal charms in their beard clicking against one another like wooden chimes.

“Yea, NK is no good against these things right? Just a Punching Ghost at this point.” Ven asked for Lorne’s opinion.

“Maybe you’ll get more powers. Maybe if we defeat these things we’ll gain some, I don’t know, cosmic experience or something.” It was quiet for a bit, then thunder cracked far off in the distance. “Do you think your Stand can pick up on emotions too?”

“I- don’t know actually. Probably? Because thoughts can be emotions too, I think right?” Ven turned to the woods, Nobody Knows fading into a looming silhouette behind him as he focused, raising a hand like an antenna. “I think. I think I found one. It’s feels like acid reflux, but as a thought?” Ven broke the connection and held up his bat. “Get ready, they’re coming!” As the words came free so did a group of sharp, fleeting creatures. They resembled insects, digging and moving quickly from the forest, no bigger than a large rabbit. Their bodies were made up of blue and purple fog or mist if it could be solidified into a single form. The faded away after just a few moments.

“Don’t hold back. Whoever gets the least goes to the convenience store tonight to buy ice cream and coffee tomorrow morning.” Lorne held a stance, preparing for attack. Both of them set their pyre aura around the baseball bats.

“Deal.” Ven chuckled and leapt from the rock, bashing one of the Rhymes. Lorne wasted no time, dealing with several at a time, but they often had to stand back to recover their breath, not used to such activity. Ven found it taxing as well. Both had been thinking the same thing, 「I really need to hit the gym or something.」

  * • • 



The hot pink baseball bat fell through the faded remains of a Rhyme, ringing out like a wrestling bell. Lorne and Ven had several scratches and bruises over their bodies. None, of which, were from the Rhymes but in fact from tripping or falling back. Fighting was not a natural activity for them, although both had supposed that it wasn’t truly natural for most people.

“That all of them?” Ven managed to get out and gasped, struggling to catch his breath, resting a leg on the rocky outcrop. Lorne took a shaky deep breath beside him, holding onto the rock formation.

“I think so. How- how many?”

“Uh, about ten?” Ven stood with their arm up in victory, dropping their arms down as the exhaustion hit.

“Ugh, I got eight. They kept dancing around me.” Ven held up a shaky hand, trying to sense if anymore were nearby. Lorne watched carefully, but Ven shook his head and swung the bat up to his shoulder.

“Nothin’, come on.” he rest his arm over Lorne, both making their way back to the diner and in through the side door. Before heading in, Lorne noticed a white shape atop the diner; it looked something like an antenna, but they only got a quick glimpse of it. Sherry met them with milk shakes and hearty grilled chicken and vegetables salads. She and Ven excitedly discussed the day’s bounty. Todd stepped over after the evening crowd cleared.

“Catch any big ones today?” He cracked his fingers without using both hands, stretching them before folding his arms.

“I got eight and Ven got ten.”

“Good work fellas, that’s one hundred and twenty for you,” Todd slipped Lorne a small stack of American cash, then the same to Ven, “and one hundred and fifty for you, I expect you here tomorrow. A storm’s coming. It’ll draw them in.”

“Is there any easier way to fight them? Do they have a source of some kind we can take out?” Lorne finished their milkshake and leaned back, licking away some of the whipped cream on their mustache.

“I suppose all things have a source of some kind. Maybe some earthly attachment is keeping them here. Not sure. Don’t go into them woods, you hear me?” Todd snatched up the pink bat and looked it over without moving his head. “I can modify these for you if you want, turn one side into a blade until you learn how to do it on your own with your pyre.” Lorne scrunched up their brows and sat up, asking to be sure.

“We can just bend things with our spirit aura?”

“Sort of. Your Stands do the work but I figure you’re both not at a point where you can focus your pyre enough.” Todd showed them, revealing a violet flaming aura around him. His hand tensed over the bat and one side bent and sharpened into a blade. “I saw you two struggling out there. Don’t worry, you’ll get fit enough at some point. If not you then definitely your Stands will.” Lorne half glared at him, sighing and adjusting themselves in their seat. After they cleaned up, everyone packed up and head back to the house. Everyone parting their ways and saying goodnight.

As Ven snored softly, Lorne heard the whispers in their mind again, the racing thoughts. Images like photographs flashing in and out. They wanted to scream and rip the thoughts out of their head, but they couldn’t. There was no way they could do that; their stand could not do that. Instead, they sighed and rolled over in bed, looking at Ven’s face. Between his folded arms rest Nobody Knows.

「You̴'r҉e̛ ẁor̴th͘less,͝ ̶y̧o̴u̸ ̕c͟a͠u͡s̛ęd͠ ͡t̴hi͟s. A̛ll of t̢h͡i͡ś. I̢̕f̨̛ ̸͝i҉͜t͞ ͞h͢͞aḑ̵n̷'̶t͠ b̧͢e͏é͞n ̷̢f͜o̡͜r̨͞ y̕ò́͘u̴͢ the̵̴ņ̢ n̶̕͘ơn̨͝e̵̶̕͠ ͜͏͘͜͝ơ͞͞f̶͞͏ ̧͢͝t̵̢̨̕h̵҉͞i̸̶s̵̢̀ ̷̨҉w͘͡o҉̢͘҉u Y̧où co̵u̶l҉d jus̸t͏ s͢nap͡ ͡you̸r͟ ̧f͝inge͢r̕s. ͜ ҉̷l̵̕͝d͞͏̶͜ ̸̧̢͟͢h͏̶a̶͏͞͠v̡́̀͡͞e͏̵̛͟͡ ̧̡̀ḩ̷̵̨͞a͏ṕ̸͢͏p͘͜͞è̢͏̨͟n̸̶̵͠͡e̴̛͝͠d̢̨͘҉.̷̸̵̨̢ ̷͏Ý̷̀o̵̴͠ú̧̕͞ i̴̧l͏̷y͜͞͏͜'͟͢s̢͘͟͡ ̵̛̕͠͝l̡̧i͏̡f̢̀̕e̷̡͏̢.̷̸́͡͞ ҉̡Y̶͏̛҉̴ơ̶ and ́en͞d̶ ͡i̕t ͢no̸w͝.̵ ú ̵s̕͠h̸̶̨҉ó̴u҉̶͘͘҉l͘͜͡͡͞d̵́͜͡ ̷̛́͢͝j͜͟u̧̕͠s̵̸̴t̢̡͜ ̴͝҉̡͏h̶͡͠á̵͡͞v̵̧̀́é҉̴ ̢҉̡͞ļ͠͏͡҉e̛͟t̢̡͞͞ ̵̀͞͞t҉̛́͞h̢́͏͠͠ A̛ll of t̢h͡i͡śat̶͢͏ ̡̡͝ḿ͜͠͝a̕͞n̢̢͠͞ ́̕̕͢͝k̡҉͜͠i̡̛̕ļ̷̷̕ A̛ll of t̢h͡i͡ś ҉̸̡͞ ̢̀͝ y̴͘͜͢͠o̸̷̸u͜͏͟ .͟ ҉ ̵̴͘͟T̴̡͟͏̕h̢̀͜͞ to ͟Hell with̕ yo̷u͡.̧ e̸̴̷͢҉n͢҉͏͏̀ ̵̢̧͢͞y̸͞o̧̧͞u̸͢͞͏͘ ̵͢҉҉͠ A̛ll of t̢h͡i͡ś w̨͟͠ớ̛͝͝u͢҉̧͢ļ̸̶͝d̶̸͜ n̸̢̛͘͜'̸̢ ҉̢t̀͜ ̨̡҉h̢͏a҉̕҉́v͏͞͝e̴͢͏̕͝ ̷̸͢͡͠ t̵͘͞o͟͡͏ ̡̢̀͘͘d̵̡̛̛͘e̸̸a̴͟͜͠ ҉ļ͟ ͏̡͜͏̛w̧̛̛̕ i͢͏̕҉t̴͏h̸̛́͘͢ ̷̧í̶͘͡ţ̴͢͜.́́͘͡ ̕͡R̴̛i̧͠g̶̷ You̴ ͠destroy̴ed ͘s͡ome͏thin͠g ́b͏e̡aųtifu̵l.̛ h̢̛͠t̷̀͢͜͟?̸̵̀͢ ̴̕B̢u̸͟͡t̡͞ ̵͢͞͠t̵̢h̷̵̕ e͠҉҉ń̛͟͡͡ ̕͞i̴̢͝t̶̢̛͏ ̨͟͢w҉͡ǫ̧͢͢͠u̷̡͞l̶͜ḑ̀́ ͡͏̶̸̢f̷͟҉͘ą͟͜l̵̸͘͟͠ l̢̢͞ ̴̶͝ơ͏n̴t̡̀͜͟͢ǫ̛͘҉ ́͜͞V̢̢͟͝͞ȩ̸̛͞n̡͘͝ ̸t͢҉̀o̷̡̕͜ ̸̵̡̀d̶̕͟͜͟ e͏̴̧͝͠à̷͢l͡҉̡ ͘͟͠͝ẁ̸̶ì͏t̨͘͝h̵̵̨̕͜ ̧͜y̵͜ó̀̕͟͜u̷̡̧͘͠r̴̷͠ ͢m̶͠͝͏͝e̵̕͟͠͠ ş̨͜͢͢s̴̨.̵̢̢̀͏ ̴̡͢H̴͏̨̛͢o̵͢w̕͏̛ ȩ̧҉v̸̷̕͘e̡͡ŗ̷̷̷,͝͠ ̶҉͟h̛҉e̶̡̛͘ ̕҉͜ą̡̛̕l̸̢̛͢ A̛ll of You͞r fau͜lt fau͜lt r̴̷̷̨e͡͞a̴̴d̶͟͠͝ ̢̨͠͠r҉̴̛͟͠ư͟͢ì͜͡ C͏an̸ įt͏ èr͟a̧s͝e͘ męmòr̸i͠es?͞ n҉̶̸ę́͏͢ d̀͢͟͠ ̴͞y̷̶̛̕o͡͝͝u̷̸͡ ŗ̵͠ ̷̧͝l͡i̴̡̛f̷͘͡͞͏ę̨͠,̧͘͡ ͏y͟҉o̧͞ You ha̡d̴ ͢to ̴ru͟n a͞way̴. u̷̢͟ŕ̴̴ ͘͟͜͜͠b̵̨ò͏ỳ̴͘ f̶̨̨̢͜r̵̴í̀e̵͜͜n̸͞҉͘͡d̴̨͟͝'҉̡s̴̢̨͞͝ ̡̛͘͢͟l̷̶͞i̷͢͜f̷̀ è̴̵̛͞,̢̀͢͡ ̷͘͜y̕͢҉́ǫ̵͢u̵̶̢͢͞r̢҉̴͏͟ ̶͞͝f͏̨̛͟͝á͜͡ m̸̴̸ í͘͞ĺ̶͢҉y͡҉͘͢͜'̸̧̨͏ś̴̢͞͡ ́͘͟l̷͟͝i̡͢f̴̛͝e̛̕͢͢ y͘oų ẃil͞l̷ n͟e̵v͡er ͟be ̴be̕a̴u͘ti̕f҉ul͡.͜,̸͢ ̵̡͞͠͏ḩ̷̵̶͜ ugl̷y thi͞ng. į̶́͞ś͡͠ ̶̨̕͢f̴͢a̡͡҉̢͜m̶̨͢ i̴̧l͏̷y͜͞͏͜'͟͢s̢͘͟͡ ̵̛̕͠͝l̡̧i͏̡f̢̀̕e̷̡͏̢.̷̸́͡͞ yo̡ù w͏i͟l̴ļ ̡nev͘er b͡e̵ p͟rett̢y͟. ҉̡Y̶͏̛҉̴ơ̶ú ̵s̕͠h̸̶̨҉ó̴ u҉̶͘͘҉l͘͜͡͡͞d̵́͜͡ ̷̛́͢͝j͜͟u̧̕͠s̵̸̴t̢̡͜ ̴͝҉̡͏h̶͡͠á̵͡͞ N͘obo̕d͢y̨ ͝Kno͠w̧ş v̵̧̀́é ple͝as̡e̷ ̵h͠e̛a̕r ̵me̢ ҉̴ ̢҉̡͞ļ͠͏͡҉e̛͟t̢̡͞͞ ̵̀͞͞t҉̛́͞h̢́͏͠͠á͘ t̶͢͏ ̡̡͝ p̨̡͘l̢e̡̕a͟s̸̸̡e͏͟ ḿ͜͠͝a̕͞n̢̢͠͞ A̛ll of t̢h͡i͡ś ́̕̕͢͝k̡҉͜͠ i̡̛̕ļ̷̷̕ You͞r fau͜lt to ̛de͘a̶l wi͡th ͜it l̀҉̸̡͞ ̢̀͝y̴͘͜͢͠o̸̷̸u͜͏͟ .͟҉ ̵̴͘͟T̴̡͟͏̕h̢̀͜͞e̸̴̷͢ ҉n͢҉͏͏̀ ̵̢̧͢͞y̸͞o̧̧͞u̸͢͞͏͘ ̵͢҉҉͠w̨͟͠ớ̛͝͝ ͘r͞un̵ aw̴aý. u͢ ҉̧͢ļ̸̶͝d̶̸͜ n̸̢̛͘͜ '̸̢҉̢t̀͜ A̛ll of t̢h͡i͡ś ̨̡҉h̢͏a҉̕҉́v͏͞͝e̴͢͏̕͝ ̷̸͢͡͠t̵͘͞o͟͡͏ ̡̢̀͘͘d̵̡̛̛͘e̸̸a̴͟͜͠҉ļ͟ ͏̡͜͏̛w̧̛̛̕ i͢͏̕҉t̴͏h̸̛́͘͢ ̷̧í̶͘͡ţ̴͢͜.́́͘͡ ̕͡R̴̛i̧͠g̶̷ h̢̛͠t̷̀͢͜͟ ?̸̵̀͢ ̴̕B̢u̸͟͡ t̡͞ V̛en̶,̡ ̵ta̢k̡e me͏ aw͏a̶y. ̨P̧l͡eas͠e. ̵͢͞͠t̵̢h̷̵̕e͠҉҉ń̛͟͡͡ ̕͞i̴̢͝t̶̢̛͏ ̨͟͢ w ҉͡ǫ̧͢͢͠ u̷̡͞l̶͜ḑ̀́ ͡͏̶̸̢f̷͟҉͘ą͟͜ l̵̸͘͟͠l̢̢͞ ̴̶͝ơ͏n̴t̡̀͜͟͢ǫ̛͘҉ ́͜͞V̢̢͟͝͞ȩ̸̛͞ n̡͘͝ ̸t͢҉̀o̷̡̕͜ p̨̡͘l̢e̡̕a͟s̸̸̡e͏͟ ̸̵̡̀ C͏an̸ įt͏ èr͟a̧s͝e͘ męmòr̸i͠es?͞ d̶̕͟͜͟ e͏̴̧͝͠à̷͢ l͡҉̡ ͘͟͠͝ẁ̸̶ì͏t̨͘͝h̵̵̨̕͜ ̧͜y̵͜ó̀̕͟͜u̷̡̧͘͠r̴̷͠ ͢m̶͠͝͏͝e̵̕͟͠͠ş̨͜͢͢s̴̨.̵̢̢̀͏ ̴̡͢H̴͏̨̛͢o̵͢w̕͏̛ You͞r fau͜lt ȩ̧҉v̸̷̕͘e̡͡ŗ̷̷̷,͝͠ ̶҉͟h̛҉e̶̡̛͘ ̕҉͜ą̡̛̕l̸̢̛͢r̴̷̷̨e͡͞a̴̴ A̛ll of t̢h͡i͡ś i͟s ̵y̶our҉ ̢faul͏t͢.̸ d̶͟͠͝y̵͜ ҉͝͡i͜҉́s̛҉͘͘͘.̢̡̛̛ ̨͢Ń͞ ǫ̛͘ ̧̀͢͠҉m̶͜a̷͡͠ p̨̡͘l̢e̡̕a͟s̸̸̡e͏͟ t̷̛t͡͝e̛̕͟r̵̵ ̷͏̡̛ w͏̛͜h̨͞a͘͞͡t̨̢̢ ̀͘y̨̨͘͜ǫ̧͞u̢͝ ̴̧́̕d͜͡ ǫ̴͘,̀́͘͢͠ ̴̕͘ỳ̨̛́̕o̧̕͞͡ú̶̸̡̨'̴̕̕͜l̨̡ĺ̸ ͜͞͠҉j̵̢̧͟͝ù̢͘͢͠s͟͜͞͝t̷̢͜ ͏́͟b̵̵̛̕͠ r̛͝i̴̢͜͜n͏͟͏̶ ģ͜͜͟͞ ̴̸̷̢͠t͡ḩ̛̛͡ e̛͡ ̛̀̕͞ó ҉̵̕n̨̧͘͢e͢s̷̴̨͟͝ ̶̨̀y͝ǫ̶̴͝ ú̴̢͘ ̸́͟l̨̀o͜҉̛͘v̡̡͢͜é̴̢̀ ̧̀ḑ̧҉̕ò̢̢͜ ͘r͞un̵ aw̴aý. w͘͘ǹ̶͝͡ ,̵̛͘ ̵̢͜͡d́r҉̕͟a͠͝g͘͝ g҉̧͜ ̢dra͠g̡ t͠h̷e̵m̢ ͏to ͞h̸el̸l͡ i̸̶̢͞͏ǹ̷̡̕g͘̕ ̸̛̕͜t̴̨҉h̴͘e͞͏m̴͟ ̡́́͡ i̸̧n̸̷̢͡t̨͢ơ̡͠͠ ̴͘͡͏H̷͏è̢҉̷̡l͘҉́͜͡l̶̡͟ ̵̧w̴i̛̛͘̕t̀͢͟͢͝h̷̶͝ ̧͟͞͏̸y ҉̶o͡͏ų̴̶͜͡ d̸eal wi̢t̷h i̷t.҉͡ to͘͏̷͜͢ deál̶ ͝wíth you.

「Y͞o͟u’re a mons̵͡t͘e r̵̶」 Holding back their sobs, Lorne stroked the hood of the tiny Stand, Nobody Knows. It whispered to him but the words were unclear, as if one were underwater. They gently picked it up; turning back only to make sure that Ven’s eyes were still shut. It watched Lorne curiously, wiping away their tears with the cloth of its cloak. Closing the bathroom door, they sat in the tub, pushing the shower door shut and resting in a comfortable corner.

“Please, please little Stand. I don’t know what else to do. Jus-…” they hiccupped and the Stand shift into its full form. Now the size and shape of Ven with an octopus beard, those gold and blue-flecked eyes, it hugged them tight as they sobbed and choked. “Please,” from their hand they dropped the obsidian piece, speaking directly to the stand with their mind. 「Erase me- m-my memories, please.」 Begging the Stand over and over, it shook its head, but they shut their eyes tight and shook their head too. 「Please! I – I can’t take it anymore!」 Strong heavy hands grabbed Lorne’s cheeks, gently directing them up into the face of the Stand, looking into their eyes, Lorne saw Ven’s and it had begun speaking in both voice and in mind.

“「No. I won’t.」”

“What do we do then?”

“「We continue west. We find help.」” Lorne hugged the Stand, choking on their tears and slowly, surely, simmering to a low sniffle. NK had put them to sleep by lulling their thoughts. With the Obsidian out of their hand the Stand had access to their mind. It carried Lorne back into the parlor where Ven had been waiting, their eyes red and puffy from crying as well. Nobody Knows was a direct connection to Ven, he had heard every bit of it. When Lorne had been set into bed beside Ven, NK switched back into its more manageable size. He kissed Lorne’s forehead and squeezed their hand tight.

“I promise. We’ll find a way. Together.” Ven held them tight as they slept, using their power to pick and pull away any bad thoughts that may float about. He and NK stayed up all through the night until they were sure Lorne was safe.

  * • • 



Lorne didn’t ask the next morning. They were sure that Ven had known about it, the shame was too much for them to discuss it with him. Taking the obsidian, they fashioned it into a necklace and hid it below their clothes. At least it would keep Ven from worrying too much more. That’s what they thought anyway. It only made him worry more. But Ven’s attitude seemed to shift, it meant they had a reprieve from the attacks. They worried about when it would happen next, so Lorne did what they could to prevent another “episode” as their mother called them.

In a few days time, Ven and Lorne had gotten used to fighting the shadow dwelling Rhymes, venturing as far as to take down a Beat. The Beats were much tougher than they had originally thought; they varied in shape and size, some resembling wild cats, bears or moose. It was during one of these fights that it finally happened, Lorne had been struck. Holding their stance, Lorne kept their knees bent, trying not to panic as the wild thing paced in the opposite direction of their own. They felt the sweat dripping from their forehead into their eyes, the salty sting around their eyelids, at the corners of their lips. Ven was stuck in a crowd of Rhymes.

“Lorne!” Ven called after dispatching the Rhymes, but in that moment Lorne glanced towards him, losing sight of the Beat. It took the opening, launching forward and driving its claws through their soft belly. Lorne thought for a moment that someone had stuck a vacuum to their stomach, their mind unable to focus. They fell to their knees as it raised a clawed appendage to strike down and drink up the last of Lorne’s strength through their skull. Ven managed to focus their spirit pyre and crushed the metal bat into a boomerang, using it to slash through all of the Rhymes surrounding him and then throwing it straight toward the beast. Ven’s grin fell to a grimace as the blade just missed the target, grazing through its fur. Although its paw made the descent, it had now been clipped and distracted, Lorne gripping the baseball bat beside them and holding it up. The paw fell to the ground with a ghost “THMP.” Using the upward momentum, Lorne dragged it back down and shattered the vapory form. It fell to the ground with a lame “PLOP” and faded away into nothingness. A heavy pressure began to loosen away from the air around them.

Ven couldn’t see them, but Lorne could. Wispy snakes of energy slithering out from the place where the Beat had been felled. Its ethereal corpse now bursting with energy that once was stagnant, it smelt of ozone and petrichor.

“Can you see it?” Lorne breathed out,

“See what?” Ven stepped closer, looking for the same bursting trails that Lorne could see, and although he couldn’t see it, he smelt it. Lorne turned back and noticed a vaporous cloud had drifted toward them, the ethereal cadaver had vanished, but the cloud resembled the same sunset purple and orange color it had been made up of. Lorne tried to get up, to get away from it but they were stuck, their knees and ankles too weak to stand. Ven reached down, Lorne shouted for them to get back but it was too late. The cloud of energy had enveloped them; it entered their nostrils and soaked their skin. Ven didn’t notice at all, just confused by Lorne’s cry and shove. When they noticed no change to they or Ven, Lorne decided to try and stand up. Their knees were no longer weak. They could stand and placed a hand on their soft belly. It felt less soft now, however, their muscles felt ache and fatigue but they didn’t feel drained like before.

“Do you feel better?” Lorne managed to stand without problem, picking up their hot pink baseball bat.

“I- yea, kind of. Why?” Ven stretched one of his arms and then his knees and calves, Lorne was right, they did feel different, stronger even.

“I think we just leveled up. Just now, I saw the corpse of the Beat burst with energy and it turned into a mist cloud, when we breathed it in I think we took the experiences and energy it was made up of.” Lorne’s eyes shimmered with revelation. Ven felt NK’s full presence behind him.

「They’re right you know. We were able to absorb the experience the Beat left behind, I feel more power. I can sense things more accurately now as well. There are still some Rhymes in the woods. But it’s getting dark. We should return to the diner.」 Ven hadn’t heard NK speak so much before. However, it must have been a surge of energy because it soon returned to the smaller and more manageable form. This time as it pranced around and cheered, Ven noticed it had grown a small tail.

“I guess we did. NK thinks so too.”

“Finally. I was getting tired of getting tired.” Lorne felt their belly ache and grumble, Ven chuckled and pat their back.

“Come on, let’s go eat and call it a night.”

“How many did you get?” Lorne inquired slyly.

“Uh, about twenty-five today!”

“Damn. I got twenty three-OH! But the Beat counts! I win tonight.” Lorne grinned and Ven laughed,

“Fine, but I get to pick the ice cream.”

“That seems fair enough.” Through the field and into the diner, Sherry wiped away the sweat on her forehead.

“Hey gang! How was it today?” She quickly grabbed them some drinks and some fries Todd had made fresh, joining them at the bar counter.

“We’ve ascended!” Ven shouted and laughed, Sherry smiled but her eyes had horror in them.

“What?” She nervously giggled.

“He got twenty-five, I got twenty-three and a Beat. Hey, Todd, when we defeated the Beat we felt stronger. Is that normal?” Lorne called to him from their spot at the counter.

“Hm? You squashed a Beat? Yea, that sounds pretty normal. I felt it too. I managed to beat a couple when they first started showing up, but that was before I realized I can just use White Noise’s ability on them.” Ven played with his fingers for a second, looking over to the radio controlled by White Noise.

“Hey Todd… Is your Stand’s ability permanent?” Lorne stopped sipping on their drink, turning to Ven.

“Ven, you don’t need-“ he began to whisper, but Todd spoke louder.

“Nope. It only affects radio receptive devices nearby.” The chef wiped his hands and leaned over the kitchen window.

“Ven…” Lorne sighed and looked down. They knew what he meant, but it caused the feelings to surface again. They had to think about it again. Ven took hold of their hand, squeezing it tight. He whispered to Lorne.

“We’ll head to the Standing Foundation. We’ll get help.” Lorne let out their held breath, leaning against him.

“Yea, we’ll get help.” Todd and Sherry left them to be alone, cleaning the kitchen and dining room.

“You ok?” Ven looked into Lorne’s eyes.

“No. But we will be.” Something in their heart burned, warding off the cold that the thoughts would bring. “Everything will be ok in the end.”

“What if it’s not? What will we do? What will you do?” Ven began to shake, squeezing Lorne’s hand. Lorne sat up right, turning to face him directly.

“Then it’s not over. We keep going. Together.” Lorne felt something deep inside of them, it struggled and gurgled and growled and huffed like an angry animal. Maybe it was Ven’s whispers that night when Lorne asked Nobody Knows to wipe their memory. Maybe it was the obsidian finally working for them. Or, maybe it was the experience they obtained from fighting the Beats and Rhymes. Maybe with each battle they had grown stronger and thus caged the voice that taunted them. Deciding that it had been a combination of venting, battles and the incident that night, Lorne hardened their heart into a cage. Sealing away the darkness covering them in the fog, blocking out the taunting voice. 「But how long can I keep it caged?」

In truth, it wasn’t completely any of their decisions or the experience from battle. It had been their resolve; it had been given an opening to shine. Ven had fallen in love with Lorne and their resolve, their passion. Lorne knew that this wasn’t just about their loss; it was about Ven’s as well, it was just as much about their struggles and they had to be there for him too. The internal voice and the taunts from their stand could be blocked, so long as they focused on Ven’s needs.

「One day, I will probably need help with what’s going on. But for now I need to be strong. We just need to make it to the Standing Foundation.」 With a burning flame in their heart, they turned to Ven and smiled, a wide bright grin that Ven so longed for.

“Nearly there, I think.” Lorne’s words echoed their love’s, the same words that he had spoken when they arrived in Goodwater. Ven laughed through his tears, hugging Lorne as tightly as they could. Sherry and Estelle watched from afar, holding the other’s hand just as tight.

Instead of immediately going back to the apartment, Ven and Lorne stopped at the convenience store. They bought only the small cups of ice cream. It was after all their second to last night in Goodwater. Lorne and Ven grabbed some last minute supplies and some things for their trip to Indianapolis in the shipping truck. It was only two more days away. Lorne felt some anxiety about it, how would they get into the truck? Would they be able to breath in the truck? Would it be hot in the truck or would it be cold? Maybe Sherry knew, but for now they had to focus on tonight. They couldn’t risk slipping. 「I can’t yield to the darkness. It may swallow me whole.」

That night, they set the obsidian on their backpack by the bed. Close enough to grab but also far enough to allow Nobody Knows to keep an eye on their thoughts. Lorne knew that perhaps giving NK some freedom in their mind would be best; to let Ven help them clear their thoughts. It wasn’t exactly in their comfort zone, but they couldn’t risk another anxiety attack. 「Anything that helps me keep strong for him.」

“Goodnight handsome.” Lorne held Ven’s hand tight.

“Goodnight beautiful.” Ven whispered back, kissing their hand and holding it just as tightly. Nobody Knows was nowhere to be seen, finally able to get rest. They slept soundly for the first time in a while. Since it all had begun.

  * • • 



Another day, another job. Todd had an emergency extermination job for them both. Lorne and Ven were originally supposed to have their last day to rest before leaving Goodwater, but an unnaturally large group of Rhymes had been seen moving about the town at night.

“I need you to take out as many as you can. We’ll take care of the rest when you leave. The few guys I have here are still taking care of the ones in town, it’s bad.”

“We can take as many as we can out for you.” Ven assured him.

“I’ll pay you a little extra and pack you up some food for the road.”

“Did you ever find out if maybe there really is a source for them somewhere near town?” Lorne tapped their shoe quietly; they did that when thinking deeply. Todd looked around and glanced over Sherry, she was busy with a customer.

“One of my guys thinks they’re coming from a graveyard out in the woods.”

“Have you seen anything stronger than a Beat?”

“No, but I don’t want you going out into those woods. Especially in that graveyard out there.” Lorne sighed and looked to Ven, they both had the same idea.

“Ok captain. We’ll be back.” Out in the field, they were immediately met with groups of Rhymes. Nobody Knows made short work of them. It could now stay in its full form longer, and its punches were much stronger. Lorne had noticed that not only the stand had changed, but Ven had too. They seemed to have more muscular bulk, natural muscle, although they were still chubby. They wondered if they too had gained some new tone. It wasn’t much, to be sure, but it was just enough for a perceptive eye to notice.

Bashing through a hoard of Rhymes, Ven felt the presence of something bigger, just beyond the tree line.

“Something else is waiting. I think it’s a Beat.”

“Ok.” Lorne prepared for a real fight, holding their stance. Sure enough, out from the forest another Beat appeared, it was faster than the last. Ven managed to knock it on its side, Lorne dashed up the rock formation and leapt, dropping the sharpened edge of the bat down and smashing the manifestation. It shattered like glass, unlike the last Beat. The shadow of Nobody Knows held its position, Lorne knelt down to inspect the shards. Before they could find out any difference between it and the last one the glassy fragments evaporated into a familiar mist. Once again, they achieved some gain in power, though it was not as strong as the previous experience with the mist.

“Don’t get comfortable, there’s more. At least three more.” Ven looked nervous, holding onto a golf club that Todd had given him to replace the bat.

“Beats or Rhymes?” Lorne asked, only relaxing their shoulders to recover some comfort in their arms.

“Neither. People, but I can’t tell what they’re thinking; it’s all jumbled up. They’re too far to hear, close enough to feel.”

“What do we do? Todd said not to go into the woods, but what if it’s the cause of the surge?”

“What if it’s Todd’s other exterminators?” Ven argued back, looking to Lorne.

“I think we should go. We’ll keep quiet and sneak away if we need to. Can NK Mind Break more than one target?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never tried it on purpose.” Lorne nod, they were more curious to see if Ven could automatically be aware of maturation in his Stand powers and abilities. They turned to look at the diner then back to the woods. Slowly and carefully approaching, Nobody Knows hovered beside Ven. Both of them held an arm out, sensing the position of the people deeper in. Lorne stopped at the third tree in, thinking back to Todd’s words not to enter passed three trees. Ven had glanced over to them, and they continued together. Deeper into the woods, they slowed to a crawling movement after getting close enough to just barely hear the people out there. Picking up on the voices, Lorne figured there were at least four people, maybe five. Ven confirmed this theory as they sat behind a tall tree.

“What are they talking about?” Lorne asked, waiting patiently.

“Something about the Beats and Rhymes… They’re using them like batteries. I can’t get it all. There’s too many trains going without enough carts if that makes sense at all.”

“I get it. If there’s train carts missing do you think they had their memory altered or do you think they’re just stupid?” Lorne remarked, Ven choked and tried to hold back his laughter in.

“Hey! Someone’s out there!” They held still. Lorne leaning in with their arms over Ven, they felt the acid in their throat. Ven went dead still.

“Use the cloaking ability.” Ven nod quickly, Nobody Knows leaning over them, resting its arms on the tree above Lorne’s. They felt their eyes reject the other’s visage, it was working. They held their breath, the crunching of twigs and branches growing louder and louder. Without looking, they knew that at least two of the people had found their spot.

“Must have been a bird or something.” One slurred.

“Nah. I didn’t hear any birds.” The other complained. Lorne spoke out to Ven.

「I’ll take out the one behind me, you take out the one behind you. That leaves only two and we can cloak again after.」 Lorne tried to strategize, Ven replying,

「We have to be fast. I’m not sure how long I can keep the cloaking. Aim for the head and strike hard.」

「One… Two… Three!」 Lorne mentally called out, jumping up and slamming the blunt side of the bat down, Ven used Nobody Knows to slam the other grunt’s head into the tree they hid behind, there was a shout and a call from two other people.

“Hey! Scott! Bradley! What the fuck?!” Lorne knelt down beside Ven and they felt the effects of the cloaking. Another set of footfalls approaching.

「Same thing?」 Lorne asked, but there was no response, only a shaky static noise. 「Ven?」

「W͜e̸ a̶k̛ ̵c͢o̶n͢nec͟t͢ I o n… Get̷t̡i͜n̵g ͏ t i̧ r e d.」

「Hang on.」 Lorne turned slowly, finding someone over the fallen thug they struck. Thinking back on the fight with the first Beat, Lorne thought of something. Taking a deep breath, they forced their spirit pyre to shrink, compacting it and pressurizing it around the bat in their hand. Cautiously, they stood up, aiming the bat at the new goon. Another deep breath and Lorne hurled the bat, it flew out of their hand, smashing into his head and spinning back into their hand. Ven gasped for air, their cloaking falling.

ChuhChahk! Lorne stood still, Ven didn’t make a noise.

“You. Turn around fatty.” Lorne instantly felt their skin boil, glowering with their eyes and turning as demanded. They met with a woman in mostly red and blue striped clothes and ridiculously large, bedazzled sunglasses. She had a shotgun in her hands, but it didn’t look exactly like a shotgun. 「It must be her Stand.」 Lorne thought, turning their eyes to Ven by the tree. They thought out multiple plans to try and get him to safety. Nothing seemed to be feasible.

Ven felt their blood go cold; his head went completely silent, unsure how to move or what to do. The woman looked prepared to kill, but then, so did Lorne.

“We been lookin’ fer you boys.” 「D̕o̷ it」. Lorne twitched. Ven felt his stomach sink, his skin go pale. “You cost us a lot of money. A lot of good men injured. How do you plead?” 「D̢͠ò ͞i͜t҉͏,́̀͢ ̴I͘͠͡ da̶̕r̴e̸ ̧y͏ou. ̷Yơ̢ư̴͏ ͟͜ḱ̷̨n͡o͜w̶̨ ̕͝yo̶̕ú͠ w͢a̶̷͝ńt͏̨͜ ̸̧̛t͏͠o͠.́͢」She took aim at Lorne, Ven shaking his head and felt the gun on him now, the cold barrel on his sweaty, hot skin. 「E̢̡̕͝͡r̀͜a͏͘s̵҉é̴̛͜͡ ͢͠h̢̕e̶͘͏͡r͘͞!̡҉̡͡」

“WELL?! Boy?” She shouted and prepared herself. Lorne felt their neck crack, slowly turning it up to her and lazily hanging their arms and head.

“I don’t like you very much.”

“What?” She growled. Ven cried out as she shoved the gun against his head, pushing him now into the tree. Nobody Knows was too weak to act.

S n̶̨ a̛͘͞ p̧͞ !

Lorne’s fingers snapped and an explosion burst out from the air, NK having just enough energy left to protect Ven from the blast. Several more booming snaps filled the air, Ven was unsure if it had been the shotgun or if it was Lorne’s sudden and terrifying attack. He remembered the blown bits of concrete back in the woods. He shook in the soil and roots, waiting for whatever happened to finally end. As the booming blasts ended, as the sound of the woods began to come through the smoke and fire, Ven lift his head. Once again, his eyes fell on a very different Lorne than the one he knew. This Lorne was seething with absolute hatred, an almost demonic energy pouring out from around them. On their right hand was a red mark, like a searing burn in their flesh. The enemy Stand User had been blown into another tree. Potholes burning with smoke and embers were scattered about.

“Not so funny now huh?” Lorne turned to him, their eyes glossy. “Search her memory, she’s just knocked out. I want everything on her.” Ven sat there for a moment, taking hold of Lorne’s right hand. They pulled it away and held it to their chest, offering him their left instead. Lorne sat down beside him, the gloss leaving their beautiful green and blue eyes. “Are you ok honey?” Lorne asked, genuinely. Ven nod and pulled them tight into a crushing hug.

“I’m so sorry!” Ven sobbed, Lorne held him tight, grabbing his shirt and kissing his cheek.

“I’m sorry I scared you. I said we’d get there. We’ll go together, no matter what, I won’t let anyone hurt you.” They sat there together, trying to calm down from the attack. Ven did his best to read the minds of the goons and the woman, Anna Bellum.

“She’s some kind of general? She knows about us.” Ven scanned the memories he had access to. There weren’t many if he were honest. He wondered if Lorne was right, maybe they had been brainwashed or something. Nobody Knows shook it’s head, telling him that no, she was not brainwashed, only its eyes and tentacle beard visible from beneath the hood. Ven chuckled, 「Just stupid then?」

“Is she carrying any gemstones?”

“Gems?” Ven looked over to Lorne who was down beside him. They began digging through her pockets. Out of her back pocket came a large slice of agate, a chunk of black tourmaline and an impossibly deep looking shard of obsidian wrapped around her neck by cheap leather.

“These.”

“Whoah. Is- Oh!” Ven felt Bellum’s mind open completely. Lorne pocketed anything useful, including the gems.

“She’s some kind of agent, she’s still got a lot a info sealed up though. She’s an agent, some kind of group. She knew about us because of the guy in parachute pants back in Vermont. He remembered us when he woke up… They only want us now because we beat up a few of their guys.” Ven unplugged himself from her head, Nobody Knows fading out from beside her.

“We’ll hand her over to Todd.” Lorne took a deep breath and looked around. They had explored the cemetery for only a few short minutes, not wanting to waste time, as the enemies were unconscious. Lorne had discovered some strange patter written on paper, but it had been smudged and ruined. There were a few Rhymes hiding between head stones but they were easily taken out.

“I guess that’s the best bet right now. Let me just,” Ven swiped his hand over her face, her eyes shot open, showing only television static. The sound of a VCR echoed in the woods, rewinding something in her mind.

Click! Nobody Knows finished, rewinding her memory to a point before she obtained the intel on either of them. Ven did the same to the three others. Once he finished Lorne took his hand, speaking directly to Ven and looking into his eyes.

“Let’s go.”

꧁༺ End of Prologue ༻꧂

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading!
> 
> Once again, here are only a few resources for suicide, depression and anxiety. 
> 
> If you are in need of help please reach out to a medical professional. 
> 
> National Suicide Prevention Lifeline  
> 1-800-273-8255 
> 
> https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
> 
> https://www.mentalhealth.gov/
> 
> Be safe and be well.


	4. Cherry Bomb

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie Crier and Jodi Jones investigate a recent explosion to the Northern Standing Foundations Research and Development facility. Together they look for two suspects in the case that slipped through surveillance

Smoke and dust filled the air, brick and stone blown to bits. In the blazing heat of Los Angeles, Melanie Crier leapt free of the debris cloud. Swiping her arm through the air she shot several rounds of projectiles, each one splashing the area around her foe.

“That’s all you’ve got? Bubbles?” They mocked her, pulling free their cherry bombs and tossing several into the dust cloud.

“More than what you’ve got!” Melanie splashed the area around her as well, jumping and as her shoes hit the pavement she felt a bounce, getting launched several feet in the air.

“Soap! Do your stuff!” From behind her appeared a shadowy figure, out of a fiery aura around her. It took the shape of a girl but it was not a girl. It resembled something like a china doll made of pink porcelain.

“What a stupid Stand. Che-Che-Cherry Bomb!” The enemy launched their cherry bombs, somewhere about on the ground; Melanie wasn’t able to see them as she landed, several of them detonating at once and stirring up more smoke. A shriek crying out as the entire round of pyrotechnics ignited. When the cry went silent, the enemy pulled off their medical mask. They had several tattoos over their lips and two under each eye. Waiting for the smoke to clear, they laughed.

“Stupid girl. Just had to go sticking her nose in my business. Well, it’s certainly a win for me.” They spied a pair of frilly socks in Mary Jane shoes; they got her, now they could rob her blind before she woke up. Kneeling down the thief pulled them out of the dust cloud.

“What? But she was-!” the legs they had pulled free belonged to the china doll that Melanie had summoned. From out of the second dust cloud launched hundreds of bursting bubbles all splattering the pavement and the thief with a slick soapy solution, they slipped and slid but couldn’t get away.

“How?! I hit you directly!”

“Oh, I thought I was just a stupid girl? Now you want to know all of my tricks? A lady never kisses and tells.” Melanie wagged a finger; now clad in a dark grey oversized shirt and black denim shorts contrasting the cutesy doll. She pulled free a pair of handcuffs out of her fanny pack, they clacked and clicked in her hand as she stepped closer. Unaffected by the soap slick she had laid down before her landing, she made every step count to spook the thief for a bit of fun. Little rubber ducks had been painted on the powder pink cuffs, the thief tried to climb up and away but slipped and smacked their head.

“Ugh, you’re really going to put those on me?” They scoffed, giving up on trying to flee. Melanie stood beside them, pouting and holding her hips.

“Uh, duh, what else did you expect? Some iron cuffs that say ‘man’cuffs’? Come on dude.” With a girlish giggle she knelt down and got ready to lock them up. They rolled themselves over as she prepared to cuff them. Something shook the ground so violently that Melanie landed on her backside.

“Holy shit! Did you feel that?” The thief cried out, but Melanie had already glanced up to look for the source. Somewhere off on the horizon was a massive black cloud. Sirens were going off in the distance, and the distracted Melanie didn’t notice as the thief pulled out a much bigger cherry bomb.

“Later girly!”

“What?” Melanie turned back to the thief. She had only enough time to cover her eyes, a bright and peppery blast roaring from the small explosion. They pranced and hopped on the toes of their shoes, snatching up their duffel bag of stolen goodies. Fleeing the stone and tile construction site, they used the last of the soapy residue on their heels to slide down the hill and away from Standing Foundation Junior Detective, Melanie Crier. The dust cloud cleared and Melanie released the bubble she had formed around her, watching meekly as the thief got away.

“Damn, well, I better call her.” Melanie lay on her back, pulling out a phone from her fanny pack. It rang for a few minutes before connecting to static.

“M̨̨̀͏ ͜҉ e̵̡̢ l̢̨̡͠?”

“Jojo, I lost ‘em. I got distracted.” She winced and looked up at the black cloud from her spot on in the dirt. Wondering what caused it, Melanie rolled over and picked herself up.

“M͢͝e͘ -̕͟ ̵̧͡l̵?̵ ̢̢͜I ̷c͞a͟ ̨͡'̀͝͞ ҉̷͜n̕͜ ̸'̡͘ ̨͘t͏ ̵͠h̷̸e͠a͘ŗ̡ y̧͢͝o̶u̸.̕”

“Jojo?”

“m̶̀͢ ̴̧͠ée̶̸t͞҉̕ ͏a͏͠͡ t̵҉ ̶͡ ̸͢ t̡̨h́̕͝ e̵ ͢͟l̴o͟ f̶͡҉ ̷̛̛t̛̀” The signal got even more hazy.

“Meet at the loft?” Melanie plugged one of her ears and tilted her head so the phone was slightly higher, hoping for a better signal.

“m̵ę ͢è ̴t͠ a̷t͞ ̷̨ ͏̡t͡he ̸l͝ ̶̀o̡͟҉ ͡ ̸̕ ͟f͟ ͏ţ̵͢”

“Loft? Got it!” Melanie hung up, shrugging and making a dramatic grimace, “Ok then.” Holding her arm out for the china doll, it took her hand, dusting off its glass dress. It curtsied and vanished in a small round of bubble bursts and confetti.

The garage style door slammed shut, light streaming down from the bay window above the door. Melanie tossed her fanny pack onto the coat rack and trudged her way into the kitchen on the far right side. Their apartment had been reconstructed from an old warehouse; everything but the two bedrooms and bathrooms on the second level loft was open. Buffed concrete floors on the ground, hardwood for the second, Melanie had urged her roommate to get some tile for them to line the kitchen with, “Something smoother for our feet!” She pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears. Her roommate didn’t care much for the kitchen space to be paved, she mostly ordered out anyway.

As she entered the kitchen, she pulled out one of the several remotes sitting about the apartment, turning on the flat screen TV on the other side that was both the living room and dining room. Looking through the fridge and pulling out a salad, Melanie hoped that the news would air something about the explosion. She waited and waited but nothing came up.

“Ugh, useless.” Dropping the remote onto the kitchen island, she plopped herself down onto the couch, sinking in between a giant teddy bear and some very scary looking version of a teddy bear. It really creeped her roommate out but Melanie promised it wouldn’t be left down there after the lights went out. She said that about three years ago, but it never moved.

“Melanie.” About halfway through her salad she heard the TV cut to some audio call, it didn’t ring, it just showed you who was calling. She accepted and sat up.

“Hi Orla.” A woman with long ginger hair sat on the other side of the screen; she was dressed in a nice suit.

“We didn’t see you back in the office, did you lose them?”

“Yea, slippery jerk. They used the explosion in town to get away.” Mel lamented on it and gave a hard huff.

“That’s ok, listen we need you back here when you get some time. Bring Jojo with you, please. Also a copy of your report from today’s events.”

“Will do ma’am.”

“Over and out Crier.” Orla winked and the call ended. The volume slowly returned on the regular TV station. Melanie let out a sigh as the garage door opened only a crack for someone to roll in from underneath, launching themselves up with their strong arms and landed on their feet. The sunset made it hard to see them, but as they stepped closer the light settled on her and she brushed some dark dust off of her cheek. She stood relatively tall, nearly six feet tall, hazel eyes with bits of gold shimmering in the iris. She was toned and somewhat muscular from practice in self-defense as well as gymnastics. Before Melanie stood her roommate and colleague, Junior Detective, Jodi Jones or Jojo for short.

“Hey,” Mel welcomed.

“Hey, got a call from Orla.”

“Same here, we have to go to the office later.”

“Why what’s up?” Jodi stepped over and spun, dropping into a seat.

“I don’t know, but did you see that explosion today? I lost my combatant because of it!” Melanie tossed her hand up and slumped over against the teddy bear beside her. Jodi leaned back and brushed her curly bobbed hair back.

“That sucks. I didn’t even find mine.”

“Why was your call so staticy by the way?” Mel curled her feet up on the couch underneath her.

“I was somewhere close to the explosion, I didn’t see much but it was enough to interfere I think.”

“Man that must have been scary.” They gathered their things and called for a ride, an unmarked car pulling up moments after. The ride wasn’t very long, but the sun had been setting and it made the drive felt like nearly an eternity. They arrived shortly at a building much like the car, unmarked. It looked like some kind of government facility, although nobody seemed to be aware of its presence. Together they thanked the unseen driver, hurrying up the sidewalk and down a straight path of stone, surrounded by manicured gardens. At the front door, Jodi scanned her palm, a beep and green light disengaging the locks so that they could enter. In the foyer they felt the cold AC blasting from somewhere above them. This space was well lit but oppressively vast, empty. Only one or two employees could be seen at a time, rushing to and from different unseen departments.

“Good evening ladies.” Ms. Orla Gartner stepped out from a room to the side of the foyer, well dressed as always.

“Evening, what’s up?” Jodi handed over hers and Melanie’s reports, Orla accepting them before continuing.

“I’d like to speak with you in private, you’re not in trouble I promise.” Her voice always felt reassuring to them, Melanie felt a sigh of relief escape her even still. Jodi shrugged and they followed her into the same room off to the side. Blending in with the wall, the door was difficult to see, although Orla had no trouble. This was the guest office space, a meeting room. Four chairs waited by a very clean table of marble and glass. Each of them took a seat, waiting for Orla to gather her notes on whatever it was she wanted to discuss.

“You are both obviously aware of the explosion in town. But I wanted to include you on this incident. We need all hands at the moment.” She set down several pictures, all of them looked like TV static. Jodi looked them over, trying to find a connection or any glean any information from them. “These were taken of two assailants, both were seen running away from the explosion and posses Stand abilities. We’ve had issues with the equipment lately but I don’t think this is all from a simple malfunction.” Orla paused, setting down several more photos, all of which were crystal clear, Melanie blinked, scanning them carefully into her mind.

“May I?” She glanced up to Orla who gave her an approving nod. Melanie called forth her Stand, Soap. The crystal doll stood on a chair and leaned in, kissing the tips of its fingers it scattered bubbles across the table, consuming the photos into spheres of pink, blue and grey. They spun and spun until they stopped suddenly. Pressing against each other, they formed one, more crystalline, bubble which held a floppy disc inside the delicate bubble. Melanie popped it and held the floppy disc in her hand.

“I want you to locate the first two suspects. I’ll have the Operative division handle the others. I’ll brief you now, since you’re already here. You may begin tomorrow morning for your mission.

They are both male presenting, both approximately three hundred pounds in weight and some muscle build. The first is approximately five foot seven or eight, olive skin, dark and short hair. They were last seen wearing ripped jean shorts that reach below their knees, a black shirt and a hand woven shoulder cape covered in a cosmic pattern.

The second is about five foot, five inches, white, dark brown hair that has grown long in on the top, shaved sides and back of head. Last seen wearing black capri shorts with a neon green vein along the side and ripped up shirt that also features a single neon green strip. There is no information on their Stands manifested forms. This is all we were able to get about them, it could be mixed information however, our operatives on scene say that they all had trouble keeping their eyes on them.

“Capture these two alive, we want them for questioning in the involvement of the bombing and destruction to the North Los Angeles Foundation research and development facility. No public statement has been offered to the media, it is being handled as a gas leak incident.”

“How dangerous are they?” Jodi held her hands on the table, at the edge of her seat.

“Relatively dangerous. We can’t get any surveillance of them, we just know that one of them can cause controlled detonations, some kind of explosives Stand.”

“Something like the one I lost this morning?” Melanie asked, thinking back of the Cherry Bomber Thief.

“No, much more dangerous. Again, we don’t have enough surveillance, so we’re not sure how dangerous or how deep their involvement goes with this. I’ll be honest, I hope they’re on our side.”

“Why’s that?” Jodi leaned closer, Melanie sitting down and spoke for Orla.

“She’s scared of them. Orla, please tell us, how dangerous are they exactly?” Orla shook her head and tapped her fingers against the glass tabletop.

“Dangerous enough. No more questions. Jodi, you incapacitate them for Melanie, she’ll bubble them and bring them in. You’re dismissed, oh, and Ladies?” Orla stopped herself before exiting the room. “Be careful out there.”

Melanie and Jojo sat in their spots in the living room, thinking to themselves.

“This sucks. We know almost nothing about these two but the Ops get the easy ones.” Jodi rolled her eyes and cracked her knuckles. “Well, I needed a challenge anyways.” She got up and pulled a drink from the fridge, waiting for Melanie’s reply.

“I suppose so, but I couldn’t even catch the thief today. How are we supposed to catch these guys?”

“I mean you had them cuffed right?”

“Almost, but the explosion-“

“That’s right Mel, the explosion. It wasn’t your fault. Let it go. We’ll catch these guys and make up for it.” Jodi plucked the sheet with the verbal description given by several different team members. The description referenced by each operative mentioned that they all had great difficulty remembering the full report of the two suspects, just as Orla said. All of the information was scrambled; Jodi wasn’t entirely sure how Orla had even managed to connect any of it together. Melanie had her own copy to look over. They studied it over and over, hoping to get a mental image; Melanie supposed this is why Orla was the lead of her team.

“Do you want any tea?” Melanie dropped her copy of the documents onto the coffee table, getting up for her usual cup of chamomile before bed. As per usual, Jojo declined, always with a little “thank you.” She was lost in thought, preparing herself mentally, devising plans and some tactics.

“Fuck it, give me a cup scary lady.” Jodi rolled off her chair and followed Melanie into the kitchen; her roommate was pleasantly surprised and grabbed an extra mug.

“Whoa-ho you’re adventurous tonight huh?” Melanie teased,

“No, just overthinking this job. I need to chill, if I see it differently then I’m going to psyche myself out.” Jodi explained, accepting the mug of hot tea, adding just a teaspoon of honey. Melanie made a little face and sat down on her side of the kitchen island, trying not to think too hard about tomorrow.

“You always go in without a plan though. You’re Jodi Firecracker, unpredictable, spontaneous.”

“Not so spontaneously bad at her job. I didn’t even find my combatant today. Or any in the past few weeks.” Jodi turned and scratched her head, folding her arms.

“We just need to switch tactics I think. We’ll be together on this one too so we’ll be fine.”

“Yea, true. Ok Mel, I’m heading to bed.”

“Goodnight!” She called out, Jodi smiling and waving before disappearing into her side of the loft. Out of her pocket came the floppy disc, she looked it over and then spied into the metal bit. The vague shape of two faces lingered on the metal.

  * • • 



The scene of the explosion had just barely been cleaned by the time they arrived. Jodi and Melanie thanking their driver before making their way up to Agent Abba Don, head of Criminal Stand investigations department.

“What are you two doing here?” He scoffed and signed off on something from one of his employees. His buzzed blonde hair, silver eyes and expensive clothes, his attitude certainly fit his description.

“Agent Gartner-“ Jodi was cut off,

“No. Go back home.” He tossed a hand up and turned around to head into the facility, his expensive shoes clicking on the pavement.

“Agent Abba Don we aren’t here for the explosion. We’re after the who suspects who fled.” Melanie called out, stomping forward. She swallowed her fear as he turned, glaring at her. His eyes scanned her up and down; he was much taller than either of the two of them. Jodi wasn’t intimidated in the least.

“Then by all means. Go find them. We have nothing on them other than some vague suggestions. They’re not important anyway.” He set a foot down and the two of them felt the shock.

“Sir, we require your sign off for allowance. It’s the only reason we’re even here bothering you.” Jodi explained plainly.

“Then you’ve got it.” He spat and dialed in on a phone, “They have my sign off, over and out.” He stuffed his phone back into his pocket and turned to them completely, facing them with his wide stature. “Get lost now.” He growled and stormed towards the facility. Melanie let out her held breath, holding her chest.

“What an asshole.” She and Jodi agreed. They spoke with several of the other operatives on site; they had very little additional information to offer. Jodi was able to find out, at the least, which direction the two suspects had been heading.

“They went West miss, perhaps they have a shelter in Canoga Park?” one of the investigators offered. Jodi thanked him and made her way to Melanie. She heard reports of seeing someone based on their descriptions on Topanga Canyon Blvd.

“Canoga Park?” Jodi asked, Melanie nodding before getting her phone and calling for a car.

Exploring the park itself, Melanie and Jodi found nothing. Nobody had seen anything strange recently. The locals had nothing else to offer them. They searched everywhere for any sign of vagrants or even a spot they may have been staying somewhere hidden in the park. They came out with nothing. Next they would speak with the police department to see if anything turned up on homeless individuals matching the description.

“Officer we just need to know if there’s been any reports of the two in the area, car accidents, squatter problems, anything.” Melanie pleaded, Jodi stood back.

“Listen, girly, I’m not searching any records about no fat guys in the area. We’ve got plenty around town. I don’t care what department of government office you work in-“

“You’re going to give us the files then. And you’re going to be quiet about it.” Jodi stormed over, pushing Melanie gently to the side.

“Why the hell would I do that?” The officer struggled out of his chair, slamming his meaty paws on the counter.

“Well, I’m sure you have your own way of keeping your affair from your wife, but I’m sure she wouldn’t like a phone call from a complete stranger telling her that her cheating husband was also threatening two young women.” Jodi grinned as he huffed and spat and tried to collect his words.

“What do you know about my marriage?!”

“Well you’ve got a wedding ring that looks brand new, you have a photo of you and your wife, looks about twenty years younger. Over there behind you,” she pointed out and returning to her explanation, ”and by the looks of it about one hundred pounds lighter. You’ve gone to seed in your age and you still seek the value and flavor of youth so you supply yourself with beautiful women that you no doubt threaten like us. Oh and by the way, your collar has lipstick on it.” Jodi smiled politely, the officer’s face looked like a valentine heart, completely red. He may have blown up like an angry tomato if given more time. “Now about those files?” Stomping out from behind the desk, Melanie took the chance with one of her floppy discs, if he hadn’t been so angry the officer may have seen how it slipped into the disc drive with no issue. Downloading all of the reports within the past week, Melanie bounced up out of the sweaty swivel seat, tucking the disc into her small pink backpack and standing beside Jodi.

“Thank you Officer J. We’ll be in touch.” Melanie smirked and the two of them left the office. Jodi was texting someone. “Who are you texting?” She inquired, requesting a car as they stood outside of the police department.

“Oh, no one in particular. Just looking up badge numbers and social media accounts under the last name.” Jodi sent the information off to one of her colleagues at the Standing Foundation, a Government investigations and Public service department agent. They’d handle everything else. They’d also step in if Officer J. tried anything funny at home. He was now on Foundation Observation.

“He’s a scumbag and deserves it, but will they actually do anything?” Mel had to ask, unsure that the Foundation would care about one officer’s infidelity.

“It’s just a double win, he’s cheating on his wife and refusing to give us access to documentation. Obstruction of justice, plain and simple.” Jodi smiled and relaxed in the air-conditioned back seat beside Melanie. Resting easy now that they had the documentation and the sense of ease that the GIPs Department would handle untrustworthy parties. Their car drove them back east, and nearby stood two people, watching the car quietly from their spot.

“They could be trouble.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, thanks for reading!
> 
> Part 1 of the fanfiction has officially begun and two of our main protagonists and the titular Jojo has made their appearance! I hope you enjoy the story so far and hope you will enjoy future chapters and installments. 
> 
> For updates you can either subscribe to the story here on AO3 or you can follow my Tiktok, under the same screen name. 
> 
> Thanks again!  
> be safe and be well.


	5. Soap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie recalls the day her Stand awoke. She and Jojo continue their investigation of the two suspects involved with the attacks on the Foundation Research facility and one other.

It had been about two or three days since the Foundation took over the files and documents Melanie had collected. They found only two leads; one came from an insurance claim. Apparently a masked individual had jumped onto route 27 causing the car to crash into the side of the road.

The other lead was a sighting of two people matching the criteria was at the Getty Villa. Now that they had some information, they could travel along the route to find signs of the two suspects. Melanie was the first awake when they received the call from Orla.

“Good morning Crier.” Melanie scratched her shoulder and sat down on the couch, holding onto the stack of paperwork she received.

“Good morning, what’s the formal call for?” In their two years of junior detective work, Melanie nor Jodi had ever received a call after receiving paperwork or documentation on leads, not like this. There were so many documents to go over and all of them required some signature or acknowledgment.

“There was an incident last night. Wake up Jojo and meet me at the Inglewood Recruiting center. We’ll go together from there.”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Over and out, Crier.” Oral’s call cut immediately after and Melanie hurried to wake Jodi.

The late summer heat had already kissed the city, although it was only about nine-thirty in the morning. Their car brought them straight to the Inglewood Foundation Recruiting building. It, like headquarters, was unmarked, unseen by the public eye as if it had become just part of the landscape. Orla waited just in the foyer of the building. It was similar but not quite as grand as HQ. Melanie had been here once before, about five years ago when her stand first awoke. She had been at school when it happened. The day she returned to school, her high school crush had asked her if she was feeling better. Melanie had always been a very shy person, easily intimidated and frightened. His name was Jeremy and he didn’t make her feel frightened, or cast aside. So, she took a chance.

“Would you, um, would you like to hang out some time? Just us?” She finally put herself out there. She had outstretched her hand and he took it into his own.

“Yea, Friday night. Maybe we can go see a movie or something?”

“I’d love to! Yea- yes. Ok.” She smiled and grinned he beamed back at her. Well, Friday came, Jeremy promised to meet her after she finished her catch-up work, it wouldn’t take her long. In the chemistry room, she found a spot with a wide enough table for her to set out all of her schoolbooks. Nearly finished, one of the teachers and Jeremy’s father, Mr. Palmer stepped in, taking the place of Mrs. Greenwood who had to use the restroom. He was not as kind a man as his son, instigating arguments with students.

“So you’re going to use my son?” she tried to keep her mouth shut, too afraid to say anything. Besides, what was there to say about that anyway?

“I’m talking to you.”

“No sir. We-we’re just going to the movies.”

“I know what happens at movies. You watch what’s going on, then you go to a party, then you get alcohol. I don’t need that influence on my son.” She felt her head begin to pound. “You Latinas are all the same. Crazy, drunk psychos.” He wobbled in a sick mockery of dance, losing his balance in a way that only a man who drank too often could. Melanie felt her face get hot and red, tears of frustration and fear rolling down her cheeks. She had never experienced anything as grotesque as he.

“What are you gunna do girly? O-h did I make you cry? I didn’t think you could, maybe that’s all you’re good for. I don’t want my boy near a woman that can’t handle her emotions. Or maybe you plan to use them to manipulate him?” He drew closer and closer. She prayed that Mrs. Greenwood would return but she didn’t. Melanie had recalled that all of the restrooms in this side of the building had been closed for repairs. He was getting too close now, the warmth of his hatred burning her skin and as he spat out more nonsense, too close he jabbed her shoulder and something inside of her snapped. She smashed a beaker over his head, screaming

“What are you going to do? HUH?!” Tossing her chair into his path, she ran and had made it to the girl’s restroom, locking the door.

“Let me in you little bitch!” Her heart was beating so hard, she thought she would die, coughing and sobbing, searching for something to defend herself with or somewhere to hide. The restroom was under renovations and there was little to use for defense, she had nothing to use as a weapon, her cell phone had fallen out of her pocket upon her escape. The restroom was on the second floor so escaping by window wasn’t even an option. Two stalls waited with open doors, the third was closed from the inside by someone’s prank.

BANG! CRNCH! BANG! The restroom door was beginning to crack open. Melanie rushed into a stall, locking it and slipping under to the next. Stepping up atop the porcelain bowl, she locked the door and waited. 「Mrs. Greenwood should be back any minute. Somebody must hear him.」 She thought.

“LET ME IN YOU TRASH!” Mr. Palmer screamed and grunted, breaking the door down. He fell atop the splinters, crying out in pain as one cut through his hand. Turning his eyes to the empty room, he staggered up. To his right he found the stalls, all three locked.

Melanie held her breath, hiding her cries behind her sweater sleeves. And as the doors jiggled and pounded, they went silent. She was sure that she would die if Mrs. Greenwood didn’t return soon.

“Melanie.” Her eyes wide, she looked down at the floor, seeing the shadow of his legs, his cheap shoes. There was another voice, but it wasn’t Mrs. Greenwood’s.

“「Melanie」.” It came from behind her, a fiery aura and the shadow of a girl, but it was not one. It looked much more like a doll, like the one her grandmother had once given her, made of china and hand made clothes. Its body was made of pink and blue glass, designs on its dress like a china cup. It spoke to her again, but this time it was only in her head. 「Melanie, stay still and be quiet. When I say, use your power to slick the ground and run.」 The doll spoke as if it too were a human. The voice was so familiar. She had to respond, she had to know what this thing was.

「Who are you?」

「I am you, and I am also not. My name is Soap, your Fighting Spirit.」

「My fighting spirit? How do I use the power?」 Melanie tried to hold herself steady, hearing one of the doors snap open and break, Mr. Palmer screaming like a starving monster.

「You’ll know. On my mark.」 The doll hovered behind her, they waited and as the door burst open to the stall beside her, she did as it told her, bubbles bursting out and onto the tiled floor. She unlatched the door making a run for it. Mr. Palmer failed to grab her as she sprint forward. His arm twisted and shoes slipping on the slick floor. The doll stopped as she made it to the broken door. At the exit the doll launched a larger bubble bursting and covering him in the slick soapy solution, he was now unable to move at all, slipping and sliding on every surface he touched. Melanie felt someone brush by her, two arms pulling her away. She panicked but her guardian, her Stand, Soap watched. As she fought and struggled to get free of the arms, their voice calmed her. It was the guidance counselor and her aunt, Jess Crier. Mrs. Greenwood beside her. The people that charged into the bathroom were the police, cuffing Mr. Palmer and taking him away. Nobody asked who Soap was, they didn’t even know they existed.

He was charged locked away. But soon after the trial she had been met by a woman, Orla Gartner. At the time of her meeting, Orla had been leading head of the recruiting facility. It was a very strange experience, but reassuring to know that she wasn’t a freak. Not long after, she had met Jodi, Jojo as she preferred to be called. Jojo hadn’t been in the same classes or training as Melanie, she had known about her stand all her life. Having a formal background in a family of stand users, Jodi was able to mature her abilities and practice for this sort of work. But, she never treated Melanie as inferior.

Orla had been a great inspiration to her, especially when she had been promoted to head of the Junior Investigations team and second captain of the Operatives team. But today, she looked miserable, she must not have gotten any sleep from last night’s incident.

“Good morning Junior Detectives.” She announced, Abba Don Love stepped out from behind her, Melanie took a jarred step back, Jodi did not.

“Girls, I am here to speak my piece and sign off for Captain Gartner. I don’t believe you are needed in the case at all. The Operatives team is handling it. You are not here to investigate the incident last evening, you are here to make connections to your own investigation on the location of the two suspects in question. We have found three of the five others, not including the two you are in search of. I’m done, you may continue now Captain Gartner.” Jodi glared at him as he departed, brushing passed the two junior detectives. Once the front door had closed Orla took a deep breath, relaxing her shoulders.

“Sorry, he’s required now for most of our investigations. Anyway, I’m briefing you on what’s happened last night. There was an explosion at another facility.”

“But, we don’t have any other buildings, just the three here in Los Angeles.” Melanie watched Jodi fold her arms after thinking out loud.

“That’s correct. It seems it belongs to a group of criminals, they had data that only the Foundation had access to. We had a witness on sight.”

“A witness? Was it the two we’re looking for?” Melanie held a hand to her chest, hoping for a stronger lead. Orla thought for a moment, flicking her eyes to the ground and then up to them.

“I believe so, yes. One is using the name Yoshi, they used a stand by the name of Queen.” Jodi scoffed and looked at Orla, her grin fell and she turned back to the captain more earnestly.

“Wait, you’re serious?” Jodi’s eyes were wide with confusion and fear.

“Who’s Yoshi?” Melanie asked, Orla tried to speak but Jojo did first,

“Yoshi, Yoshikage Kira, he was a serial killer in Morioh Japan. His stand was Killer Queen, this all came from the Speedwagon foundation before they fell apart. Didn’t he die?” Jodi watched Orla for some confirmation.

“Yoshikage Kira died in Morioh. There’s no way it’s him. I believe it’s a cover for their true Stand, but we can’t be sure. It may also be a successor of some kind. There’s not a lot of information. Come with me, we’ll talk about it somewhere a little more appropriate.” She led them to a meeting room down the hall.

“Please sit,” They sat in their chairs, not quite as comfortable as the ones back at HQ. “What happened last night isn’t part of your investigation, but I think it’s pertinent to help you. Last night around two in the morning a small warehouse had been destroyed by a suspect matching the description of one you are searching for. It’s the shorter of the two, they wore a mask and used explosive objects, detonating them with their hand.”

“Just like in Morioh?” Melanie inquired.

“Similar, not exact.” Orla sighed, “it’s complicated, it seems like a front to hide their real power, like I mentioned. They escaped in a smoke screen; there was a sighting on the way towards the Getty Villa. We started our investigation of the warehouse and it was-“ She struggled to find the words, “Horrifying to be honest. There was Foundation information; there were operative secrets and documents on Stand Users. It’s a mess.”

“What does this mean for us?” Jodi leaned in.

“It means that your capture mission is no longer restricted to a Live Capture. If you find them, it is kill on sight, whether or not you’re met with resistance.” Melanie jumped from her seat; it clacked against the marble tile floor.

“What do you mean? Why wouldn’t we want to catch them and demand answers, this isn’t how the Foundation operates!” She slammed her hands into the acrylic tabletop.

“It was approved by the higher ups and by Chief Love.”

“So wait, what’s the point of us hunting down the two of them?”

“Chief Love actually agreed to keep you on the case. I think that you’re both ready for a real investigation. Consider it an interim promotion.” Orla looked saddened by this, she did not look as excited as either one of the girls had hoped she would have appeared when they dreamed of hearing this.

Melanie and Jojo took a break at a local coffee place; they each got a drink and a quick snack. They just needed some time to think everything over. The words of Ms. Gartner haunted them.

“It is kill on sight, whether or not you’re met with resistance.” The foundation had an internal reputation in this area for rehabilitating a great deal of criminal Stand Users. As far as Melanie and Jojo were aware, nobody had been hurt in any of these incidents. It seemed kind of convenient, not a single casualty? It didn’t make any sense. There wasn’t a murder, so the, why couldn't they too be rehabilitated. What wasn’t Orla telling them?

“I think we should go to the Getty Villa.” Jodi sipped on her iced coffee and looked out the window.

“Tonight, definitely. They seem to be in that area, they may be living inside the villa itself.”

“What makes you think that?”

“No one’s seen them other than the Route 27 incident and around the villa, they’re obviously not stupid enough to stay at a hotel, we would’ve caught them by now if that were the case.”

“I think you need to stop reading Thomas Harris novels.”

“Listen, Silence of The Lambs is a masterpiece ok? Clarice Starling is a wonderful role model-“

“Ok! Ok! Don’t bite my ear off. Why don’t we go now? It’s still day and it’s doubtful they’ll be sleeping there right now. We can find out where and if they’re staying there in one of the closed off sections.”

“If they see us, they’ll pick up and flee. They’re probably keeping watch over the place. They could be disguising themselves as employees or patrons, keeping watch out for Stand Users, us.” Mel held her breath, thinking for a second, deciding if she wanted to tell Jodi what her feelings were, or not. “Something doesn’t feel right about all of this.”

“You felt it too?” Jodi turned to Melanie; she held her hands to her chest and let out a quiet sigh.

“Yea. I think we should look for them, but I refuse to kill them.” Jodi stretched and pulled out her phone to call for a car as Melanie spoke.

“Can you bubble them?” Jodi asked as her text sent to their driver.

“I’ve never tried to bubble a person, but I can try.” Melanie grinned, now with a new idea to use her Stand. She’d have to try it if the suspects tried to get away. Knowing for certain that regular data, images could be turned into one of her Stand’s Floppy Discs and back. Melanie wasn’t sure if a person could be returned to normal after. It was worth shot.

By night, they reached the Getty Villa. It was dark, lit only by lawn lamps that shined up onto the walls. With their connections to the Foundation they were able to request alarm services be ignored for the Villa until morning. They had free reign of the place until then. Melanie and Jojo were quiet, entering in khaki and dark red shoulder capes to blend in with the walls and tiled roofs of the villa. Sneaking about the exhibits, they found little to nothing.

“If I were a suspect on the run, where would I go?” Jodi quietly thought aloud.

“Probably in one of the rooms above the guest exhibits.” Pulling up a map of the building, they searched for a route to the higher rooms, although they couldn’t see one.

“Ugh, no more hunting. I’ll just use my Stand.” Jodi stepped out of the building to the side, Melanie following cautiously.

“Here, when you get up there use these to look around.” Mel handed off a pair of binoculars, Jodi latching them onto her belt and clapped her heels into the stone ground, structures and ribs made of bone binding around her shoes and legs.

“Will do.” Bending down, she leapt up with great force, landing atop the red tile roof with little to no effort and very little sound; it was only a small fraction of her power. Melanie had been studying it for some time, her Stand, Redbones. Probably a manifestation of her aptitude for gymnastics and physical strengths, it appeared as a bone-like material over her feet, legs, arms and hands, resembling something a boxer may wear or a rock climber. Jodi’s Stand was very interesting.

Atop the building, Jodi covered herself with the cape, looking down and out to the city nearby, the Villa De Leon shining out the rest. It appeared to be well lit, somebody either bought it or maybe a movie set was being set up, there were several trucks waiting. Using her phone, she called down to Melanie,

“Hey, it looks like maybe a movie is being shot at the Villa De Leon, wanna crash after we get out of here?” She joked, but Melanie replied coldly,

“No. We’re looking for two suspects. Remember we’re being examined for our accomplishment in this investigation now. This is going to count to a full Detective position.”

“Yea, I know. I was kidding. But how fun, am I right? I’ll let you know if I see anything up here.” Hanging up, she carefully turned to the rooms atop the villa. Looking through the windows, she hoped to see something. All she could see however was the sparkle of the stars and city lights reflected on the glass. Mel called her again.

“Hey, I’m gunna check out the exhibits to see if anyone is wandering around, I think I saw something.” Her voice was hushed, and Jodi glanced down into the courtyard, a shimmering pond of cream and tan tile waited below. Its cool waters drawing Jodi in from the hot roof tile. “Jojo?” Jodi shook her head and returned back to the call.

“Yea, I’ll keep an eye from above. Be careful.”

“Will do! Over and out.” Jodi waited for a few moments, soon catching a glimpse of the red cape draped over Melanie. She blended in with some of the tile, and if she were careful, wouldn’t be spotted behind the bushes. Jodi scanned over the entirety of the garden courtyard, nothing was out of place, nothing moved.

CRCK! Jodi turned, looking for whatever had cracked. 「Melanie!」 Looking back down, the red cape had been blown aside, she was sprinting towards something. CRCK! One of the tiles beside her ankle cracked apart, something shiny stuck in the crack.

“They found us!” Jodi rolled aside as four more tiles cracked and slid down into the courtyard.

Melanie snuck quietly into the corridor, making it safely out into the courtyard. Behind a large bush that normally was covered in flowers, she hid. Calling out Soap, she set up several bubble spots. One spot was in the pond so she could get across, and a few behind her in case there were a sneak attack. Her hearing was pretty decent; it was what lead her to that spot. Something had crunched across the pond, she also heard something above but believed it to be just Jodi’s Stand against the tile. Focusing her eyes, she tried to use all of the details Orla had given them. They had some surveillance breaking, either a Stand or device, but a Stand was more likely. It was also probable that the Stand had caused the mass confusion. If she could focus just right, maybe she could catch a hint of their location.

「There!」 Two more cracking noises rang out, one on the roof and one in front of her, and just as she had hoped, Standing in the corridor stood a figure in a hood.

「Get ready Soap.」 Preparing herself, she waited until the figure had turned, launching herself forward and onto the bubble in the pond, throwing herself halfway across the courtyard and rushing the figure, they had only a moment to react before she had reached them.

“Stop! Standing Foundation Detective!” Melanie splashed the long tiled floor with Soap, causing the hooded figure to slip and fall onto their side. Out of her pocket she pulled her cuffs. “I’m not going to hurt you. I just need to ask you a few questions.”

“Ugh…” the struggled and rolled over, Melanie stopping in her tracks, 「Something’s not right. They don’t fit the description. Unless the Stand changes their appearance too?」

“Are you the Stand User going by the name Yoshi?” She knelt down and cuffed them before they could move.

“Ow-ow-ow! Hey! Watch it!” They cried, and she recognized the voice instantly. “Yoshi who?” They rolled over, their hood falling off their face to reveal a beautiful face of a young woman, she had dusty grey hair and piercings in her brow and two on her lips.

“You again?!” They both cried out. It was the Cherry Bomber!

“How did you find me?” She groaned, trying to sit up on the slick floor. Mel gave them a hand.

“We were looking for the suspects that may have blown up two buildings.”

“Ah, well, you’re half right.” The Cherry bomber snickered.

“Half right?” Melanie shook her head before turning back to Jodi. Darting out into the courtyard, she held up both hands to shout.

“JOJO!”


	6. Rainbow and Snakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie and Jojo discover the truth behind the incident at the Northridge and Fashion district Warehouse incidents. But will it mean anything in the end?

Jodi dodged several more shots, the red tile of the Getty Villa cracking and sliding. The shots were coming from the window she had previously tried to look into with her binoculars. 「But I didn’t see anything inside.」 unleashing her Stand’s gloves and vambrace, Jodi felt the skeletal ribs wrapped around her arms like bone jewelry. More shots had been fired, and she managed to catch one in the palm of her glove. Sitting in her hand was a gold coin. 「A dollar coin?」 Jodi jumped and leaped, twirling and kicking one of the coin projectiles back at the shooter.  


The window shattered and someone cried out.  


“Jojo!” Down below, Melanie cried out,  


“Melanie! I got one!”  


“Me too, but be careful!” Jodi felt them all at once. Several more coins had been fire at her, knocking her down and onto the hot tile roof. Pain radiated from the spots where her bone armor couldn’t protect her. Jodi began to roll towards the edge, Melanie grunting and dealing with something behind her. Just as the world began to rise around her, she managed to grip onto the bare roof, a spot where the tile had broken. She struggled to get a handle with both hands, gripping at what she could to pull herself up. Clicking on the tile, a dark figure stood in front of her.  


“Who are you?” Jodi growled, trying to grab at anything she could. The figure removed their hood, a woman with a scornful look glared down at her, her stiff blonde hair waving in a heavy breeze.  


“I could be asking you the same thing honey. Who sent you? Was it Goldie?” Holding her foot over Jodi’s hand, the woman demanded to know.  


“Who the hell is Goldie? Are you one of the suspects that blew up the Government Facility and the warehouse in the fashion district?” Jodi called out.  


“You’re half right. Wasn’t us but we were there when it happened. Now you tell me, I’m not asking nicely anymore: Who sent you?” Her knockoff shoes set over Jodi’s fingers. Somewhere around them, a storm was coming in. The wind had picked up and rain began to fall.  


“We’re detectives in the case of the bombing we just-“  


“’We just have a few questions.’ oh shut up!” The woman set her shoes on Jodi’s fingers and she groaned, holding on as tight as she could. Gritting her teeth, she turned her eyes back up to her adversary. A dark emerald snake curling over her shoulder and around her neck, feathers adorned its spine. 「A Stand?」 Jodi glanced down, Melanie was fighting someone in the pond, their stand rotating and spinning across the water like a heavenly pond skater. “Why are you really here? You wanna take us in? You want our money? What is it?” Jodi cried out as the woman stomped down, her hand slipping.  


“Ok! We’re here to take you in but it’s for questioning! You’re not going to prison, I swear!”  


“Sorry sweetheart, times up.” Her heel aimed for Jodi’s other hand, but at the last second she let go. The woman watched in shock, but Jodi wasn’t a fool. She fell down onto a decorative ledge on the wall of the courtyard, just enough room to use her Stand on to bounce back up. Flying upwards, Jodi landed on the tile behind her foe, dropping to the tile roof and kicking back, her foot connecting with her ankle.  


“Argh!” the tile clicked and clacked, the storm around them had gotten worse. Wind blew onto Jodi’s face and back, enough so that her foe could stand again on the roof with no problem. “You thought you could kick me down onto the edge?” A careless scoff escaped her and she tossed a dozen coins into the air, each one crashing into the spot where Jodi had been. If she hadn’t been as nimble as she was, she was sure that the coins would have been the end of her. Jodi would have to strategize, but Melanie was better at that part. But, Melanie was also in over her own head as well, down below. Edges of the pond broke into smithereens as the large metal stand collided with it. Melanie and Soap could only do so much; it wasn’t a combative Stand like Jodi’s.  


「Calm down, just think, what has it done so far? Tossed coins shoot like bullets? What else can it do?」 Breaking her concentration, she dodged more shots, using the bone armor to block the others. 「I need to get her to show off its other abilities. It’s a snake with feathers, but it doesn’t tell me much except for her personality. Glamorous snake?」  


“You’re so lucky I’m not my brother. But I don’t need his Stand to beat you.” Taunting, she tossed more coins, the wind picking up again, thunder cracking in the distance, lightning illuminating her face.  


“It’s a shame.” Jodi knocked away the coins with ease.  


“What?”  


“You’re pretty, too bad I have to mess you up.” Jodi grinned and her foe choked, scoffed and then began to laugh. Smashing her heel into the tile, all of the coins flipped upward, following the storm breeze, Jodi flipped herself up, landing on one of the coins, she prepared to fall, but instead she felt herself lift up.  


「I can step on them?」 Using the boost, she threw herself forward, her heel posed to drop and hopefully knock the enemy down.  


“Nice try.” Jodi felt the force of a freight train slam into her side, knocking her down into onto the edge of the roof again. 「Ok, so maybe it’s gravity based?」 Jodi waited until her adversary approached. “You really thought you could hit me?”  


“Yup.” Jodi responded plainly, grinning as her enemy’s face contorted into a visage of pure rage, raising her own foot to jab Jodi’s hand off the ledge. Dropping off, her foe’s hand flew out, just as she did with the coins. The overwhelming crush of gravity pushed her down, Jodi only smiled. Her enemy, confused, released the gravitation force, watching the junior Detective land, bend down and a burst of spirit pyre burned. Jodi had used the gravitation force to smash her down into one of Soap’s bubbles, bouncing her back up. Jodi launched a kick, slamming her knee into the enemy’s jaw. She stumbled, falling down into the roof with a loud crack. The tiles shattering as Jodi landed, her bone-armored foot beside the enemy’s face, her knee underneath the woman’s arm. “Got’chu.” Jodi smirked and pulled out her cuffs, flipping the woman over and locking her arms together tight.  


“Urgh! What even are these?” Slowly, the feathered snake began to fade out into the air around them.  


“They’re called Suppression Cuffs, we use them to keep Stand powers at their weakest, so there’s no chance you’ll escape out of them.”  


“Fuck. My face hurts.” She slurred slightly.  


“I bet, that’s a lot of force in your jaw. Don’t worry, we have a great medic team.”  


“Yea… if you can get passed my brother.” She chuckled and it sent all of Jodi’s hairs on end. Rushing over to the ledge, she found Melanie in the midst of a serious fight.  


“Melanie!”  


“Good as dead by now.” Her enemy spoke as if sullen. Jodi went over to her, picking her up over her shoulder. It would take up a lot more energy from her Stand to help boost her.  


“Hang on Melanie.”  


“What are you doing?” the woman groaned, she ignored her and hopped off the ledge, dropping to the splash-zone created by Soap. Someone was crawling like a worm up to the courtyard as well.  


“Johnny!” They called out, although the man fighting with Melanie ignored them. Jodi looked from her combatant to the man fighting. She had rolled over to watch.  


“Hey Johnny!” Jodi’s voice cut through the ring and hum of gold striking against stone and the metal pole Melanie was using to protect herself. Johnny instantly twisted to face her, his shoulders instantly relaxing and his stand dropped, suddenly lifeless, into the pool they stood in. It faded slowly, vanishing with the ripple of water.  


“Johnny, they got us.” The one crawling like a worm called.  


“Don’t stop! Get rid of them!” Jodi’s combatant shrieked out.  


“Johnny, we just need answers.” Melanie watched as Jodi called out to him, stepping slowly forward.  


“Then you will have them. I admit defeat.” His voice scratched like an old record, his eyes glazed. The two captives groaned. 

Melanie and Jodi helped move the two suspects to a more comfortable position, set up against a bench. John sat willingly. It became clear after seeing them all together that they were related in some way. They all had similar faces, the same eyes. They were all a fragile hue of blue. Like ice and frost over glass panes.  


“We just need some answers.” Melanie began, John nod, the glaze in his eyes seemed to lessen. Jodi stood beside her partner.  


“What happened at the warehouse in the facility in Northridge?” Jodi began, crossing her arms and watching him carefully. Melanie helped the youngest of the trio remove her hood. The Cherry Bomber whispered a contemplative “Thanks…”  


“We had an obligation to retrieve something important. After getting our target we were met with two other Stand Users.”  


“Stop telling them! We don’t owe you anything.” Jodi’s combatant spat.  


“Brittany, stop.” Huffing, she tossed her hair in front of her eyes, John continued after a silent second. “Anyways, we fought them and nearly won wen the building was attacked, the explosion came from outside I think, maybe even below us.”  


“How did you get in?” Jodi pressed, the facility was strict about doorways and locks of all kinds. there was no way they had gotten in without an alarm going off.  


“It wasn’t exactly hard. The door was open. In fact, that's how we got out, we hadn't seen any faculty or security until we got back outside.” He shook his head, his messy hair drooping.  


“That’s impossible.” Melanie held a finger to her lips, thinking about something.  


“What’s impossible is living passed tomorrow.” Brittany barked.  


“Brit.” The Cherry Bomber tried to calm her, but she was shaking with rage.  


“Don’t you ‘Brit’ me! If Goldfigure finds out we got caught we’re done for!”  


“Who’s this Goldfigure?” Jodi inquired, turning to face Brittany directly, she puffed the hair from her eyes.  


“Our boss. He wanted the data to start some business, I don’t know. If he finds out that we squealed on him he’ll kill us. Look!” Brittany showed off her ankle, wrapped around was a ribbon; it had a little balloon charm attached."He used to be a great guy. Real nice."  


“Is that-?” Melanie stepped forward and tried to observe closer, but Brittany kicked, John grabbing her leg and holding her in place.  


“Brittany! Maybe they can help us.” He glowered and dropped her leg when she shrank back.  


“He tracks us with it. Well, he tracks me. But I can’t get it off. Someone else has to do it but if one of us do it then he’ll know. We can't rip them, it'll bring him right here.” Melanie looked it over briefly, then to the window up where Brittany had attacked Jodi out of.  


“Are you living here?” Mel asked, standing back up.  


“Uh, no we’re just here to observe the fine art.” Brittany snapped. John elbowed her and nod his head.  


“We can take you up there.” He showed them the way, through a closet door and up an old and very narrow stairway. It could fit only one person at a time. When they reached the top of the stairs, Melanie and Jodi felt the heat, already beginning to sweat.  


“Please excuse the mess.” John humbly showed them the areas where they slept, nothing but blankets and sheets. A few fans placed about. Melanie and Jodi felt a little sad for them. John rubbed his neck, a bit bashful.  


“What are you thinking Mel?” She had been pacing about, only snapping out when Jodi called.  


“I have an idea. It’s not exactly protocol, but it’ll be easier if we can get you into headquarters without your boss knowing.”  


“Oh yea, let me just remove this tracking anklet-!” Brittany hobbled forward, as if to smack Melanie. Jodi stepped in front of her and John held up his arm in front of Brittany, blocking her path.  


“We can get it off. None of you guys can right?” Jodi argued back, John scratched at his pinned up hair. The youngest of the trio, the Cherry Bomber known, now, as Joan, she stepped forward.  


“How?” Joan asked, Melanie knelt down,  


“Take off your shoe,” She began, Joan complied and Melanie used Soap’s ability to slick Joan’s ankle. With a little force and tilting her ankle, it slipped right off.  


“Holy crap! That feels hella better! Thanks.” Joan smirked and looked over her ankle, rolling it and bending it to feel it free again. John, surprisingly, didn’t have one. Melanie moved on to Brittany. She complained and slipped a few times, Jodi had to finally pull it off.  


“Ow, hey! Watch it!”  


“Shut up. You’re free now.”  


“Depends on your definition of free…” Brittany remarked.  


“I’m going to put you all into a bubble, you’ll be safer that way and we can hide you on our way into Headquarters until we speak to someone we trust.”  


“I understand, please proceed.” John stood and waited, Jodi watched him carefully, but he didn’t try anything. It took some convincing on his part, in fact, to get Brittany to trust them. Joan rolled her eyes and went first.  


“See you on the other side then.” Soap appeared, out from behind Melanie. Kissing her fingertips, the Stand blew the kiss, forming bubbles from her delicate digits and bubbling Joan, she faded into the glassy sphere, and a floppy disk remained. Although she put up a fight, Brittany was next, looking back to her brother who in turn, gave her a gentle nod.  


“See you in the Country.”  


“In the Country, brother.” Together, they watched as their forms became nothing more than the pearly sphere, and within, they then converted into floppy disks. Taking a moment, Melanie sighed and put them gently into her bag. Soap gave a curtsy and vanished, again in a round of bursting bubbles. Jodi and Mel looked to one another, having waited until now to speak.  


“You think it was an inside job?” Melanie asked,  


“Had to be. Those doors are sealed even during a fire drill.” It had been a fear that neither of them had thought of. It would certainly have explained a lot though.  


“Orla was scared about something, and I think this was it.”  


“Do you think it was Chief Love?” Jodi held her shaking arms.  


“I don’t know, but we can’t rule him out.” Melanie looked around the room.  


“We look for this Goldfigure guy first. I think we should wait to bring them in. Not that I really trust that Brittany girl, but I think John is the most trustworthy.”  


“Isn’t it a little weird he just gave up like that though?”  


“He was cornered. His sisters were captured.”  


“He easily could have killed us.”  


“We’ll just put them in the Pyre Suppressant cuffs until we get more info. Melanie, are you able to get them out of the Floppy Disk form?” Melanie Frowned dramatically and looked into her bag where they sat.  


“I think so. I can do it with other stuff.”  


“Let’s hope. Come on, let’s finish up here and get out.” They did what they needed to, calling for a car and head back to the apartment. It would be a long night. Using an old external floppy drive, Melanie had researched plenty using her computer to look into the data of other things she’d transformed. The Runaway siblings were, thankfully, no different. She read about their statistics, their names, ages, and height, all visual data. They were John, Brittany and Joan Fowler, three siblings from out east. Running away from home after the death of their father, they became self sufficient in the worst ways. Their Stands awoke one day after Joan had gotten very sick. It was a really tough time for them, but their newfound powers had made it a little easier. John, the eldest of the three, had taken on the financier position. He tried many times to get a job but without any legal documentation he had nothing. Turned away from most jobs, he picked up under the table positions where he could work, but they never lasted long. It wasn’t until they reached LA that they met with Goldfigure, he made Brittany promises of glamour and Vogue, Popstars and Champagne. What they got was shackles and petty crime, heists and stale bread. Brittany had also fallen smitten for him. 「Sorry Brittany, I hope you don’t know I read that!」  


Any specific data on their Stands was difficult to locate or read. Melanie could only retrieve basic information. Joan had her Cherry Bomb, made from pennies and nickels by her Stand’s power into actual cherry bombs. Birttany Fangs Fowler had her Rainbow; it was able to convert momentum and gravity into a vector direction. There was more but it had been blurred out. John had his Stand, but all of it was blurred. Not a single bit had been revealed. There wasn’t much on the Goldfigure guy either, there was only that he controlled them and wanted to build some kind of group or company of his own involving Stand Users.  
Somewhere around dawn, Melanie found something important. Information on the attack on the warehouse, she poked Jodi awake and tried to drag her over to the computer to see.  


“Jodi! Look!”  


“Wha? Can’t it wait?”  


“No! Look. Orla was right.” Melanie pointed out the plan as it had been given to the sibling runaways. Goldfigure planned to send them into the warehouse to collect more data from some hard drive, but when they arrived they met the same two Stand Users they fought in the Northridge facility. They went by the names Rohan Kishibe and Yoshikage Kira.  


“That can’t be right, Rohan helped try to stop Kira.” Jodi yawned.  


“But look!” Melanie pointed out the next bit. The data the three had been sent to collect was information on Stand Users, information directly from the Standing Foundation Agency. But the one that went by Yoshi caused an explosion and they escaped, all three were captured by the Ops teams and then managed to get out with Goldfigure’s help. John wasn’t even sure how Goldfigure knew where to find them. Melanie thought nothing of it at first until Jodi jabbed her finger into the screen.  


“He shackled Brittany and Joan because he knew they were more likely to go rogue on him. John wasn’t tracked because Goldfigure knew that he couldn’t leave without his sisters. They were all he had.” Jodi read aloud.  


“It wasn’t done until after the warehouse incident.” Melanie confirmed with the date logs and data. Looking to one another, they suspected the worst.  


“There must be a mole, it’s too fishy. The temporary holding cells for Combatant Stand Users is inside headquarters.”  


“Jojo, I think this goes a lot deeper than anything we’ve been in before.” Mel held a trembling hand to her throat, rereading all of the information she could.  


“I like the challenge.” Jodi said coolly, although Melanie knew it was a front. “Come on, let’s go to HQ, we’ll talk to Orla and maybe we can find out something on the explosives case.” Jodi grabbed the floppy disks of the three runaway siblings, tucking them gently into her shirt pocket. Melanie picked up her tiny backpack and shut off the computer, calling for a car.

It had rained the entire way to HQ. Dark clouds forming overhead, both of them had wondered if it was an omen of some kind. They learned to cast aside superstition, but if there were a time to start believing again, it would be now.  


Orla hadn’t answered any of their calls. She was normally up and at work by this time, especially for junior detectives in the agency. Melanie watched the skies and wondered what would be holding her. Jodi prayed silently that Orla was safe. If there is a mole, then she may be a target. She’d know everything about current investigations and junior detective cases. Jojo and Mel leapt from the car, rushing into the building, wheezing as they asked the front desk receptionist to call Orla in. They begged the receptionist to keep calling.  


“Please! This is really important, this could affect peoples lives-!”  


“Girls?” Orla leaned over the balcony overhead, making her way down the stairs and into the front.  


“Captain Gartner, we’ve been trying to get in contact with you.” Jodi coughed and tried to catch her breath, Orla watched over her. Jodi had never called her Captain Gartner before, not like this.  


“Come on.” She took them into a private room somewhere deeper in the facility. They didn’t speak at all until they had gotten inside the dark room. It was like stepping off a beach into a totally black ocean. The walls were lined with some smooth and synthetic, black glass. It sparkled and looked deeper than it actually was.  


“Girls, what’s happened?” Locking the door and searching the room, she approved it for use, sitting down with them at the small table.  


“We found three of the suspects from the warehouse AND the Northridge facility incidents. A man named Goldfigure sent them but we believe he has a connection to the Agency. He knew how to get in and out to break them free, he didn’t get caught.” Melanie began frantically, Jodi setting an arm in front of her and speaking up as well.  


“We found them and Melanie converted them into data. We know that they were sent by Goldfigure, rescued by Goldfigure. Twice. The incident at the Research and Development facility only happened because all of the doors were unlocked.”  


“That- that can’t be." Orla’s eyes shot between the two girls. She swallowed hard and looked down at the table. “Girls, I want you to go home and forget everything. I’m taking you off the case. It’s too dangerous. This isn’t Junior Detective level work. Hell it isn’t even operative level; it’s reached the entire Agency in a panic.” Orla took each of their hands, her misty eyes closing tight.“I’m so sorry girls. Go. Go home and take the rest of the week to rest.” Out of her pocket, Melanie offered Orla a clean tissue to wipe her eyes on. “Thank you.”  


“We think they’re coming for you. The mole.” Jodi looked into the captain’s eyes, she had a look that said she already knew.  


“Maybe we can convert you into data too and hide you-“  


“No, girls, I’ll be ok. Nothing can get passed my Stand, Figure Out. Nobody will know where I am.” She confidently settled her arms on the table and gave their hands a little squeeze.  


“So that’s why our calls never went through.” Melanie relaxed and she nod.  


“As long as you’re safe. You’re like, the only person I can stand here. Besides Mel.” Jodi gave a little laugh and wiped her own eye. They all agreed to try and keep in touch; Melanie slid the floppy discs from her bag onto the table. They agreed to keep in touch. Both of the junior detectives could expect a raise for their efforts and a recommendation to a full Detective title. The next week would a small vacation for them to recover and await their next case. They each turned back to look at Orla before leaving the secure room.  


“It’s been a great pleasure working with you on this case girls. I’m so proud of you both.” She smiled and they felt the warm sting of pride. Melanie called for a car and Orla locked the door to the room again. Sitting back down at the table, she was fully aware of the light that had been turned on behind the synthetic obsidian wall. Behind the glass was a figure of a man, and she knew it wouldn’t be long now. 

“I’m ready.”


	7. Figure It Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Orla recalls her Stand's awakening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, updates will be a little sporadic for a while. I've been trying to deal with some stuff in my daily life and it's a bit hard to juggle. I won't let this fic die without at LEAST finishing Part 1.

Captain Orla Gartner, Second Captain of Investigations. Head of the Junior Detectives division, she was known as the Missing Lady. A reputation had built up as she moved in rank each year. She was the “Go To” woman for high stealth investigations as a Junior Agent, and the most sought after Operative.

Nothing could save her now, and she knew that. Picking up the Floppy Disks Melanie had left behind; she sighed heavily and rubbed her face.

“You know, I didn’t think it would be like this. I didn’t think this would be the end of me. And you of all people… I should have known.” She scoffed and laughed until her laughter became tears. “They’re good kids. They don’t know what’s going to happen now, I’d like to keep it that way.” She half-turned herself in her seat to look back at the one-way mirror, never getting up. Instead, she folded her hands over her crossed legs and looked up to the ceiling, its dark, glassy material shimmering like the surface of her own Stand. “I’d like one last cigarette, if that’s ok with you.” After a pause, she decided it was a yes, pulling out a hand rolled cigarette. Her father had taught her how to make them herself before he left her mom, left them. It was the only useful skill he had ever taught her. Rolling them herself, she was in control of how much Tabaco was used, what other herbs and spice should could add to it.

This one in particular had lavender, chamomile and California poppy. If not for the medicinal benefits, as her mother taught her many, then it was at least for the aesthetic. Looking it over, she recalled her youth, her time joining the Agency.

It had been a cold winter evening, just a few days after her seventeenth birthday; the police hadn’t arrived quite yet. In their stead, a fleet of unmarked operatives in dark crimson gear had arrived. They had managed to subdue her father, untangling his hands from the ax and looked for her for hours. Joslyn had been the agent that found her; beneath the cupboards and behind a wall she had built out of a dark material spreading from her shaking hands. Her new dress stained with oily black. Joslyn knew that the girl’s Stand had manifested.

“It’s ok now, we have you sweetheart. We’re here to help you.” She spoke so calmly, Orla had been so scared, she couldn’t move. After a bit of encouragement, Joslyn helped the poor girl out from under the cupboard, her Stand retracting from around her like a venomous web. “Darling, are you Orla Gartner?” Several other operatives approached her for questioning, but when she felt herself overwhelmed, the web of black material encased her. They backed away, but Joslyn tried her best, reaching a hand through the black web, no matter how it stung or burned, taking Orla’s hand into her own. “It’s alright now. You’re safe now.” The web retreating, one looked into the face of the other.

“Is he gone now?” She asked, her chest heaving and holding back her choked up sobs and hiccups.

“Yes, he’s gone now.” Joslyn thought she had been holding back tears, but she was holding back a hellish scream, growling at first and letting it out. The others scattered from their spot, but Joslyn stood by her. When she was done screaming, she took the girl to the ambulance as it arrived. But Orla turned back, watching the operatives take her father. Something in her changed, dripping the black webbing from her hands and shaking loose of Joslyn’s comforting hold. Marching at first, with her power, they wouldn’t know. She hurried as they approached the cop car, dripping the webbing like drops of acid and making her way through a corridor of her making. Grabbing the axe from the unsuspecting evidence tagger. She held the axe high, just above her father’s head as he shifted to get into the cop car. Before she could swing it down, something held her tightly. It had been a mix of webbing and Joslyn’s hand.

“Honey, there will be time for revenge, but right now you need medical attention before your fever gets any higher.” Orla let the boiling hot tears drip from her shaky eyes, dropping the axe. The figure of a girl pulling herself free of the webbing, she clung to Orla from behind. It was an artful synthesis of her doppelganger and something organically machine. It spoke to her, much louder than the words of the kind operative.

「Now isn’t the time. Let’s go. We’re safe now.」 It turned Orla’s face with a delicate hand to look back at Joslyn who led her away. She couldn’t remember much from that night, just that Joslyn had held her hand the whole way, and when she couldn’t be there, the other girl was. Her ghostly duplicate, the girl made of the black webbing that dripped from her hands. ****

Somewhere along the way, after the investigation had been completed, Orla had been offered a place, one made just for her. They brought her to the recruiting center for the Standing Foundation Agency, a place for people like her. Some of them had strange powers and some of them didn’t. They taught her about these powers, Stands, and the fiery aura that appeared around a person who used such powers. Joslyn had been her educator at the time, but as time went on and as she approached her internship with them as a junior Stand User Recruiting specialist, Joslyn revealed something miraculous.

“Orla, I want to grant you an opportunity. We will provide you with a case that requires your precise aptitude and skills. If you perform admirably, we will place you in a full Detective Title.”

“Th-That would be wonderful! Thank you!” She gasped and shook Joslyn’s hand, who reciprocated.

“I thought you might like that.” The older operative, now Chief of Investigations chuckled. “But listen, it will be dangerous. I’m sending you with only two more teammates. It’s low profile and too many people will attract attention.”

“Understood, I’ll pack my bags now. Uh- Where is this case?”

“I’ll brief you at dinner. My place.” Orla always appreciated Joslyn, she was welcoming and kind, and her husband was truly the best cook in Texas. She adored Joslyn’s daughter like a younger sister. They had a small dynamic, a little family she could be close to. ****

After dinner, the Chief of Investigations, Joslyn, had taken over. Files had been spread about the table, Orla going through each of them carefully.

“You will arrive in the hillside of Minnesota. You’re going to be handling a Combatant known as Christopher Williams. He’s about your age with a Stand ability known to go for the ankles. We need you to get close enough to put some cuffs on him without getting caught. You’ll be the head of a team of three.”

“Ok, easy enough. It says the stand hasn’t been seen but it’s been used to amputate limbs?”

“It seems to separate things. I’ll be sending you with a higher-ranking Operative, Abba Don Love. He’s taking my place, as Chief of Investigations, this will be his last case to oversee before the transition of titles.”

“Wait, are you leaving?” Orla sat up right, dropping the folders onto the glass tabletop, Joslyn watching her carefully with pursed lips. From her tightly held lips, she placed a finger in front of them and laughed.

“Me and the other three founders have secured a facility in South California. We leave in two months to set it up for the teams and we’re taking on some Speedwagon Foundation members with us.” Orla jumped and cheered, Joslyn shushing her, as not to wake her daughter and husband, both had gone to sleep.

“Oh my god! That’s great- wait so you are leaving?”

“Technically. What? You think I’m leaving you behind? No way! Pack your things, besides, I need someone I trust to help train the new recruits.” ****

Surrounded by boxes Orla settled in her Agency provided room, in the living quarters of the Texas facility. Everything was packed carefully, not a thing was left or would be left behind. The current facility would be used for all documentation and official business between the government and the Speedwagon foundation. Some few days from then, she sort of woke up, as if the past week had been a daydream, in an airport waiting to board. As she approached the gate, the flight attendant denied her access.

“I’m sorry ma’am, but your ticket isn’t valid. This is a third party-“

“Excuse me, is there a problem here?” She smelt him before she heard him. Rather tall with shimmering dirty-blonde hair. He smelt of fresh oak, the smell of broken tree limbs in the midst of a storm, the perfumed hurricane. He stepped around her, using his left arm to hold onto her shoulder.

“Sir, I apologize. Ma’am, if you would step aside for just a moment please.”

“No, she’s with me.”

“I’m terribly sorry sir-“ The attendant tried to argue, but he was better at arguing, as Orla would learn. He snatched the ticket from her hand and flipped it over in his leather-gloved hands. Handing it back to her with a stern shove.

“She will be taking this flight beside me. You’ll see that our tickets are in, correct, order.” Orla watched carefully.

“Oh- Oh yes, Mr. Love, I apologize, please if you’ll both make your way in.” With wide eyes, Orla followed the man, observing his expensive leather coat, more of the cologne he wore. The attendant may not have seen it, but Orla did. Her ticket had been swapped with another, as they approached the line to enter the plane, he turned to her.

“Your ticket, in case they ask questions.” Out of his sleeve, he held out her original ticket between his fingers. She accepted it, letting go of the breath she hadn’t realize she was holding.

“Uh, thank you, Chief Love, sir.”

“Next time it would be wise to have the Speedwagon Foundation ship you a ticket instead. I find the Agency travel accommodations are still lacking in official status to the public.”

“R-right. Thanks.” Orla stuffed the ticket into the inner pocket of her handmade cardigan; Joslyn’s sister had made it for her for Christmas last year. Finding that Mr. Love didn’t speak much, she didn’t attempt to make small talk with him, perhaps it was for the best that way. About halfway to Minnesota, he spoke.

“Are you ready for this mission?” His voice demanded answer.

“I believe so, sir.” She was about to list her reasons and explain when he interrupted her.

“You are or you are not. Are you ready?”

“Yes. Sir.” She swallowed and turned to look out the window.

“We will arrive at the airport, we will take a cab to a motel and each collect our rooms. Approximately eight in the morning we will take a cab to the last known location of the Stand User, Christopher Williams. We are to capture him alive. I will send you in first, I will wait for your signal. If it is safe, create a web of triangles. If it is not safe then create a hexagonal web in the window in the front window.”

“Yes sir, understood.”

“We’ll meet with our informant, the third member of our party, when and if the area is safe.”

“Understood.” She waited for him to go on, but he did not.

It was cold in Minnesota, to say in the least. It was gently snowing when the landed on the airstrip. Orla gathered her things from the cabinets above, waiting for Mr. Love to step out. She followed him carefully, less out of obedience and more out of fear of losing him in the crowd. She nearly had to chase him when he approached the cab. He walked very quickly, although she supposed it had to do with his height.

The motel was decent, clean, warm and with plenty of soft towels. There had been a little gift from Joslyn on her bed when she entered the small, but comfortable, motel room. It had been wrapped in green silk ribbon; inside sat a small charm bearing a peridot. The note had told her to wear the charm on the green silk ribbon. Green was Orla’s favorite color. She wore it every day since.

Before the sun rose, she showered and dressed, preparing herself and sat down at the small table by the window. The mechanical duplicate of herself, her Stand, sitting just across from her in the opposite seat.

“We’ll set up a corridor as we go, there’s no way we can account for anything in the back if we haven’t seen it yet. If he’s still living there he’s probably set up traps for anyone that may try to get to him.”

「Of course. Why though do you bother speaking to me? I’m but an extension of you, I know all that you know.」 The Stand spoke.

“I know, it just helps me think.”

「Someone is here.」 there was a knock at the door. She prepared herself for anything, peeking through the peephole. Taking a deep breath, she sighed and pulled the door open to accept her breakfast delivery.

They stepped out of the car, just outside of the old neighborhood. It was long since abandoned, once a vacation spot for Minnesota’s higher class in the summer. Nestled in the back of the old village, where the concrete broke into turtle shell patches, potholes left to fall apart. Abba Don brought her to an old house, just across the street from their target.

“You may exit from the other side. I will wait for your signal to intervene. If it is unsafe leave immediately, is that clear?” Mr. Love’s glistening amber eyes pierced her heart.

“Yes sir.” Taking a deep breath, she waited for him to mark the beginning of the mission. His eyes digging deep into the hollowed husk of a house on the other side of the street, he held his hand up, both kneeling below a stone garden wall. Flicking his fingers, Orla immediately flung hers forward, casting out a stream of oily fluid, forming a lattice tunnel of web-work. Only she could see it, once she was within the house Abba Don wouldn’t be able to see or sense her either. Not clearly, not really anyway. Trudging through the snow, Orla arrived at the side yard of the old house. It had patches torn out of it, as if a bear had smashed through with its strong paws and claws. Tarp and fabric had been placed in the open spots, blowing and flapping in the cold wind.

「Remember, it goes for the ankles.」 Orla heard the voice of herself, although it was not. Her Stand was reminding her of the target’s ability. Opening her palm, the dark webbing splashed out from her hand, forming a ramp atop a stone wall that divide this yard from the next. She wondered, as she climbed and carefully made her way around, what this place had been like before its abandonment. Did it have a garden of roses and tulips, perhaps an herb garden? A dog that dug up the lilies, one that upset father as their child giggled and ran about? Maybe mom was cooking something delicious. Maybe she was at work, maybe a neurologist or some sort of doctor. Just like her mom. As her mind wandered, it brought her to Abba Don. 「Does he have a family? Someone to love and to love him in return? He seems like a decent man. Curt and to the point, but clearly gets his work done. Especially if he’s taking Joslyn’s position when she gets her higher rank.」 Slipping, Orla found herself tumbling down into the snow, missing the broken spot in the garden wall and landing face first into the snow bank. Quickly righting herself up, her eyes turned to the house, the back door slamming in the cold wind. She took a deep breath and cast out a new tunnel out with her Stand.

「Look out.」 A moment too late and she might have lost her ankles, something beneath the snow smashed into the stone wall, clinking and bouncing to another direction. Orla set up a circle of the dark fluid, tossing a fistful into the air like a flare. Abba Don would know what to do. Eyes scanning the snowy yard, she heard it but wasn’t sure where or what exactly it was. All she knew was that it was spinning and rolling about into things, slashing and scraping.

「It sounds like a circular saw.」 She felt a shift in the snow, leaping up and climbing back atop the snowy garden wall. The thing beneath the snow began to grind and scrape loudly against the stone, and then she noticed it. She could use the ice and snow to detect its location!

“Watch it!” Snapping her head to Abba Don’s position, she felt the air blow and graze the side of her cheek. It then began to itch and when she touched it Orla realized that she was bleeding.

「They’re airborne now?」 Looking around, she took notice of a hole in the wall, a shadow glaring at her from behind it. Abba Don pulled free a device that both looked like a gun, and also did not, taking aim for the same spot she had spied. Using her dark web, Orla managed to hide herself again, smashing her hand into the snow and creating a corridor to the kitchen window, as long as she was careful she wouldn’t be spotted. Tossing some of her webbing at Abba Don, he snatched it and it surrounded him, fading him out of existence. Several more spinning blades began to bounce around the yard, it seemed like her attempt to the door was futile, but she had another idea.

Inside the house, Chris Williams watched from the window, trying to catch a glimpse at the two others that were here to take him away. Just like the others they wouldn’t last long, although the girl could be trouble, she wasn’t anywhere to be seen. From his wrist, Chris sent out several more spinning blades from a frame like construction of small metal rods strapped to his hand and arm. It was bound with cogs and moving parts. Clicking and clacking, it triggered these spinning blades to slide against the ground; they slid about, gliding like mechanical pond skaters. The yard, now filled with the blades, hummed with their noise, the whirring of machines, grinding against stone and wood. Chris had lost sight of the man, though he was sure that he was somewhere close by. But where was the girl? CLCKTCH! Something snapped around his left wrist, he tugged but they were stronger, latching his left wrist to his right arm. Orla swept her leg under his and tripped him over. Christopher opened his palm, attempting to lash her with a spinning blade, a direct blow to her!

“What?!” Struggling, he pulled his right hand into view, looking for the problem. Strangely, the metal frame around his right hand and arm was missing saw blades, although he was sure he had at least three left. Orla knelt down beside him.

“Suppression cuffs. Looks like you wont be chopping me to bits today.” Orla got up and looked out of the window to the yard, each of the razors that spun began to slow and fade. “All clear Mr. Love.” Abba Don removed his cloaking web from around himself like a veil.

“Christopher Williams?” His voice shattered the icicles that had grown beside the door, booming through the husk of the house. Chris shuffled and grumbled, unflinching to Mr. Love’s voice. He was still trying to flick blades from his fingers. Abba Don Love went on to read him his rights, to explain what would happen next, but Orla had a bad feeling. Something was wrong with him in a way she had only seen in nightmares. It was in his eyes, the frantic look, the thirst and hunger to be free to do as he pleased. Orla had known from that moment that no matter kind of therapy, no matter what kind of rehabilitation the Standing Foundation Agency offered him, Christopher Williams would be trouble. It was in the dead way his eyes didn’t glow when he smiled. The lifeless smile and shallow excitement he feigned as they let him out of the confinement rehabilitation center north of the California facility. It was the excessive force in his combatant cases, how he only ever received slaps on the wrist by their superiors. Anything Orla had achieved, Christopher tried to take from her, or to claim that he gave her. The higher ups thought she would be a good influence on him, they were wrong. Thankfully, Orla had Abba Don to discipline him, to guide him properly, with tough love and his hard will. The years of training must have been tough on Abba Don, because he had become a man of misplaced anger, barking at his subordinates instead of ordering, punishing instead of instructing, it was a sudden and horrific shift. It had all come to a head when Orla had been given her recent position. Abba Don did not congratulate her, only offering a curt nod of approval, but that was the kind of man he was now. The following weeks had been hell with Christopher. He screamed and whined and demanded his own position such as hers, but they routinely denied him. Everyone had become blatantly clear on what kind of a man Christopher was, Dangerous. He resorted to petty arguments, passive aggressive remarks and snide comments. It could be overhead by several coworkers in different departments, talking about how “some day he’s going to say something to the wrong guy.” They were right. Orla just wished it hadn’t been Abba Don. Nobody was sure what had been said, but it was clearly enough for Mr. Love to snatch Christopher’s neck and shove him into one of the secure meeting rooms, only to exit with bruises and bleeding knuckles. If he hadn’t been changed by years of Christopher’s attitude, he certainly was now. After a leave for mental health recovery and some much-needed therapy, he still wasn’t the man he used to be. He wasn’t just misdirecting his anger anymore, he wasn’t just projecting his frustration and anger onto others. Abba Don Love had become everything he was trying to fight. Abba Don Love was now a hardened, angry man that made it difficult to learn and grow under his direction and Orla hated Christopher for this, for what he did to him. She wanted to tear him apart just like she wanted to smash that ax into her fathers head all those years ago, after hiding for hours under the cupboards that night just a few days after her birthday. Christopher was a festering disease of a man, as Orla soon became to realize, there were many. She fought him as much as she could, for she was alone now. Abba Don could not defend her as he was now. He had become a harsh, thorny effigy of himself. She and Christopher often fought. More often, in recent years, it was about his dodgy activity, the secret side jobs he worked but would not name. During one of these fights, Abba Don stepped in. He simply set his hand on Chris’ shoulder and escorted him away, calmly. She knew that she was alone now.

Orla Gartner knew this was the end. Dropping the ash of her hand rolled cigarette into an ashtray, she took one long drag. She had a feeling Christopher was involved with the entry of SFA’s Northridge research facility and collection of private data. The explosion of the warehouse in the fashion district, Orla had collected the evidence herself and handed it directly over to Joslyn in person.

“Chris, you better watch yourself. They know.” She took another drag, letting the ash fall freely this time. “And they’re going to send two young women after you. You won’t even st-“ THWIMP! A silenced blast hummed and then went dead silent. Her cigarette fell to the ground and blood scattered across the room, blooming like an apocalypse flower. Orla Gartner didn’t move, she merely slumped over as the room went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Thanks for reading.


	8. Red Balloons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jodi and Melanie finally make some progress in their mission, but at what cost?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi gang, thanks for reading. As of right now, I think the schedule for uploads will be once a week, probably on mondays or tuesdays. I'll also start adding in Character Details at the end of each chapter including Stand Data, updated versions will be added as the Stands and characters mature. 
> 
> Thanks :)

Chapter 8 Red Balloons Melanie and Jodi turned to look at one another, the floppy disks in Jodi’s hand. 

“Why didn’t you let me give her the real ones?” Jodi looked for the answer in Melanie’s eyes. She refused to look at her in return. Melanie simply took them, gently, from Jodi’s hand, tossing them lazily into the air. As they spun and fell, they expanded from the center into metallic bubbles, the data resembling a painting without color, an expression of their contents. Johnnie fell down first, then Joan and then Brittany. They looked around, confused and curious. 

“Where are we?” Brittany barked, Jodi sighing and stepping around Melanie and standing in front of the Runaway gang. 

“Listen, you’re in our apartment, don’t fuck us over and don’t fuck anything up, please and thank you. There’s a bathroom in the back under the loft you guys can use for now.” 

“We are safe here?” Johnnie looked to both she and Melanie who had yet to turn to them. 

“It’s very private, unless someone followed us but I doubt it. Even the drivers don’t keep record of our drives.” 

“Like they can’t memorize things.” Brittany scoffed, dragging a finger across the accent table. 

“Even if they did, they’re monitored heavily. Anyone would be able to confirm if something happened to us, it would be scrutinized by our Ops team.” Melanie finally spoke up. 

“If you’re hungry we have menus from local places on the fridge, or we have some things in the fridge.” She made her way up to her side of the loft, without looking back. Jodi did not chase her. 

“Why did you bring us here?” Johnnie stepped forward, holding his stomach. 

“I don’t know to be honest, it was Melanie’s decision.” Jodi was blunt and shrugged her shoulders, watching as Melanie grabbed a fresh set of clothes and stepped into her bathroom. 

“I promise we won’t forget your kindness.” He expressed with honesty and they all met in the kitchen to look over menus.  


  


“I brought them home because something was WRONG, Jojo!” Melanie barked and tossed her facecloth to the shower floor, growling and huffing angrily. “You are so completely dense! You-you didn’t notice how it seemed like a goodbye? Has Orla EVER spoken to use like that before?!” Picking up her shampoo bottle, throwing it with all of her strength. It slammed into something, shattering and falling. It was silent for a moment, only the sound of the shower raining on her and the wet floor. “Someone’s infiltrated the Agency, Orla might be in trouble… And all you can think about is why I brought them back with us?” Melanie wiped the drops from her face, sighing and washing her face.  


  


While the siblings and the two detectives ate their dinner, back in the Getty Villa, someone arrived after hours. Stepping up the narrow staircase, into the high walled room with its small space, the messy set up of blankets and sheets, a couple of pillows on each setup. Looking forward, just at chest height spun and rotated an anklet made of balloon ribbon. Both of the tracker anklets were strung up into the rafters by a rotating fan rigged high above to mimic small movement. 

“Son of a bitch.” He slammed the back of his hand into a vase that stood on a pedestal beside him, it crashed and he growled as angrily sputtered, mumbling about finding them and having to start over. “Wait… Unless they still have the data at the warehouse.” He thought to himself and then looked out to the window, his eyes finding the Villa De Leon in its brightly lit, haloed space. He had come to get the Runaway gang for one last big heist, but they betrayed him. So then, they wouldn’t join him in that same haloed spaced. He would restart, begin again.  


  
Melanie hadn’t gone to sleep; she spent the night at her computer, watching tutorials on how to modify laptops and all sorts of things. She had managed to craft some mashed up mess of computer bits and hard drive pieces. They had several modified laptops in HQ, but now that there was a mole, a parasite, in the Agency she’d have to set up her own tools to avoid issue.

Turning to get an energy drink, she looked over the lumps under blankets on the couch and the two comfy loveseats. Johnnie had slept in one of the loveseats, slumped over with a thin blanket Melanie often used when working. She could sacrifice her comfort for a short time if it meant that they could get out of this alive. Once she realized there was an interloper she was sure that no one was safe. Meeting with Orla confirmed it. It wasn’t exactly what she said, but it was the way she said it, the little shift in her voice, the hollow look in her eyes without light to shine out of them. Melanie was sure that if she handed over the siblings they would be dead by now. Goldfigure had somehow managed to get them out once before so he must know how to get into any of the facilities with some help from the inside. Melanie feared it was a network of saboteurs. She decided immediately to go to HQ. 

“Good morning,” Johnnie sat up in his seat, he had already folded up the blanket and set the throw pillows right. He had showered too apparently, his curly hair glistening in the light from the dangling bulbs coming down from the warehouse ceiling. 「How long have I been in my own mind?」 She thought to herself, glancing back at him. 

“Good morning, I’m going to be heading out for a little bit, there’s a great breakfast place just down the road. It’s only about a ten minute walk. If Jodi asks, just let her know I’ll be back. I had to get something.” 

“Uh-sure. Ok.” 

“Thanks, try not to go out too much or too far, in case Goldfigure is lingering around looking for you guys.” “If I may? Why did you bring us here?” 

“You’d likely be dead if I hadn’t. It’s not the agency I’m worried about. I believe there’s a mole in Headquarters.” 

“I had a feeling. When you mentioned that the doors to the facilities can’t be bypassed from the outside it wasn’t hard to go from there.” 

“Wait you heard that?” Melanie jumped, watching him carefully. 

“Only a little for the first few minutes, after a while I sort of drifted into sleep inside that bubble.” Johnnie crossed his legs and stretched his back. 

“Johnnie, can I ask a favor of you?” “Certainly.” “Your Stand, it increases in power as you insert money right?” 

“Yes. Power Scaled based on the worth in its home region.” 

“I have a coin collection, an entire suitcase under my bed. If something happens, will you keep Jodi safe for me?” Melanie watched him with held breath. 

“You have my word.” 

“Thanks, Johnnie.”  


  


She hadn’t stopped shaking since she got into the facility. She joked with the receptionist and blamed it on the cold air-conditioned breeze from the vents high above them. 

“Who is it you were trying to reach again?” 

“I was hoping to reach Joslyn, Founding Chief Jones?” 

“Oh, uh that may be a little hard. I think she’s in a meeting.” 

“That’s ok, I know she has open office hours, would it be ok if I waited for her outside the office?” “That would be fine, I’ll just send her a message to let her know.” 

“Thank you so much!” Melanie smiled and waited for the temp pass, taking the little slate and making her way through the white walled building, its sterile and normally very modern looking architecture progressively getting more and more intricate as she moved about the halls and up to the fourth floor. In this section of the building, it was little more than a glorified foyer. The massive space before her lined with seats and small tables. It reminded her an empty store, no shelves, hollowed out like a cicada shell. Each of the rooms along the furthest ends of the area had doorways with carved, white-marble pillars and flowers carved from white quartz decorating them. The cathedral style skylights showered the room in stained glass light. Blues and reds pooled about the places beneath these skylights, the scent of thunderstorm was near. 

“Chief Love?” Turning back, she braced herself. He stormed through the space, his presence spreading like thunderhead and tsunami clouds. As he got closer, he filled the space of the open fourth floor. 

“Ms. Crier, may I help you?” He boomed like cracking thunder. Beside him stood Head of Ops, Christopher Williams. Head Williams seemed the kind of man to sadistically open and fill any space above his own, to take any thing he wanted that was not for him. He had chased away several operatives on his squad, and it was rumored he scared off the previous Head of Ops. Melanie feared Chief Love, but was terrified of Williams. It was like Williams envied Mr. Love, taking on his appearance in preparation to perhaps someday take his place. Christopher had blonde hair but it wasn’t short like Mr. Love’s until recently, he didn’t dress as well until recently either, usually wearing what he pleased, as sloppily as he pleased. Normally, Mr. Williams didn’t hang around Chief Love because of the harsh discipline Love used against him. 

「Maybe Chief Love isn’t so bad after all?」 

“Ms. Crier. I asked if you were in need of something?” He boomed again, she felt something in his voice that made her twitch. 

“O-h I’m here to see Mrs. Jones. Just a check-in.” She tried to cover herself. 

“You may speak with me now.” His eyes pierced her mind, and she had to think quickly on her feet. 

“I wouldn’t want to interrupt your discussion with Mr. Williams-“ 

“That’s Captain Williams!” He barked, nearly raising a fist. 

“What- Captain?” She shook her head and staggered back. 

“Williams! Go, I’ll meet you in my office.” Grumbling, he stomped off to one of the less ornately decorated doors, slamming it shut as he went in. 

“There will be a discussion soon in regards to recent events. But as of right now, Head of Ops, Williams, will be your direct supervisor. Now, if you have business then I ask you stay out of the way, there will be a great many agents and faculty returning soon.” 

“Head Williams?” 

“I don’t stutter or misspeak Crier. If you’re here for Joslyn you’re wasting your time, she’s left the office already.” 

“Left the office?” Melanie choked and stood back. 

“Do you only ever reply in question? I suggest you return home until you are called upon unless you have some other work to be done in-office.” 

“N-no sir. I apologize for taking your time.” He didn’t reply, simply walking off to his office and shutting the door. Melanie felt tears in her eyes beginning to form, several higher-ups entering and skittering around her to get back to the offices. She fled the facility with several new floppy disks and terror in her heart, stumbling into the car she had called for. Managing to calm herself, she dragged herself up to the door of her apartment, unlocking the door. 

“Hey!” Joan made her way over to Melanie, “Jodi went off to deal with something, she’ll be back.” 

“Deal with something?” 

“Something in regards to a combatant.” Johnnie spoke, making his way over quickly to Melanie. 

“A combatant? Wait-!” Melanie pulled out her phone and noticed the alert, she must have missed it when she was distraught! “Here! Hold onto these with your life, don’t let anyone inside unless you see me!” Melanie stuffed her things into Joan’s arms and ran back out, there was no time for a car.  


  


Jodi had gotten to a spot where Melanie had once been before. She stood in the abandoned construction site, giant stone tiles and slabs waited, broken or covered in dirt. HQ’s alert had indicated that three suspects were heading this way, so she would wait and she would be ready. They had been found in the fashion district again, just outside of the warehouse that had been attacked. The report stated they were on foot but quickly making their way west. 

Taking a deep breath, she unleashed her Stand, Red Bones. Once again, bone rings; bracelets and ribs covered her body. She felt the burst of adrenaline coursing through her. She took in any and all spots where she could use to her advantage in this square space around her. Something boomed in the distance and she knew, it was them. 

“Get ready Jodi.” She bent her knees and pepped herself up. 

CRTCH! Something heavy crashed into the walls just outside of the site, another crack and a boom signaling their arrival. Before she had time to react something flew by her and although she tried to look for it her eyes wouldn’t focus, so instead she directed her focus, instead, to the figure atop the unfinished tile wall. They wore strange clothes, something one might see in an opera or a masquerade, a dark blue military jacket and an Italian mask, a feathered hat. Observing more closely, it looked like something that belonged in a museum. 

“Are- “ She paused, looking into the eyes of the mask, “Are you the one they call Yoshi, Yoshikage Kira?” They reached for their mask, their gloved fingers holding the porcelain, she felt her blood pumping, throbbing in her ears. The mask began to lift, but was blown away as they tumbled forward down into the empty and unfinished flowerbed. Another figure stood in their place, a man in expensive clothes, also torn apart and ripped in places. He looked like a gaudy caricature. Golden silks and tight leather pants, his coat was made of some heavy material with crocodile skin accent. 「It’s almost a hundred degrees out here how the hell can they wear all of that?」 Jodi shook the thought from her mind and prepared herself. 

“Who are you?” she demanded. 

“Who the hell are you?!” He replied. 

“Detective, looking for criminal Stand Users. Are you Goldfigure?” Wiping her forehead, she had hoped it would rain today. Her Stand armor was beginning to weigh her down in the hot sun. 

“You! You’re the one who got my crew!” Coiling her energy back, she get herself ready to launch forward. The heat was bogging her down though, it wouldn’t be a good idea to launch or leap if she could help it. “Well, well, well, we finally meet. You know what, I’m feeling generous, even if you got my gang. I’ll grant your wish.” From the dying bush, the masked figure tore it from their face shouting out to Jodi directly. 

“Don’t think! Don’t wish!” 

“What?” Jodi didn’t understand, trying her best to understand. From Goldfigure’s hand blew up a balloon, swelling and filling with something. “What the hell is that?” Holding the string, he pulled out a metal pin, large enough to be a doctor’s needle. 

“What did you wish for I wonder?” 

“RUN!” Yoshi cried out from the bush, they were then suddenly halfway across the area. Piercing the balloon, Goldfigure held their arms up, a giant snowflake bursting from the popped balloon and the sky went dark. 

“Damn! We’re trapped.” Yoshi snarled to themself, pulling off the gloves and ripping off some of the masquerade decorations. Jodi didn’t understand at first, but then took notice of the ice forming along the walls of stone around them. The balloon had unleashed some form of icy chamber over the construction site. Goldfigure laughed from his spot, preparing another balloon. 

“Now I can deal with one stone and two birds! Or one balloon and two dogs.” 

“You’re a complete idiot that’s not even how the saying goes!” Yoshi barked, 

“One balloon, two dogs? You know, because dogs choke on balloon scrapes by accident, but it won’t be an accident- SHUT UP!” Bursting the balloon, a gun fell free into his hand. 

“Fuck.” Yoshi hid behind one of the flowerbeds nearby, Jodi dropping down and getting closer to them. “What’s your Stand?” He turned to Jodi, glancing over the flowerbed and then dodging a bullet. 

“What?!” 

“Your Stand? What can it do?” 

“Why would I tell you?” She looked over the stone pile she hid behind and saw Goldfigure fighting with the gun. It seemed to be jammed. 

“Because it means life and death for us! What does it do?” 

“It gives me a boost in physical combat.” 

“Ok, you try to break through the ice and I’ll distract him.” 

“I-? Well-Ok. You stab me in the back and I swear I WILL kick your ass before I bring you into HQ.” 

“HQ? Wait are you a part of the-“ The stone pile crumbled and tile scattered about, Jodi launched herself forward, managing to avoid being crushed with the pile. Yoshi snapped their fingers and were tossed back in the air, spinning and landing neatly on the un-installed fountain. 

“Goldfigure! What do you wish for?” 

“I wish you would be dead!” popping another balloon, several were sent to float about the area, waiting for their creator to pop each one. Yoshi visibly twitched, cursing themselves and jumping off the fountain as Goldfigure burst another and claiming another gun. They set into some kind of dance. One would leap or dodge while the other attacked or followed. Yoshi snapping their fingers and creating small burst, but as they fought, the bursts grew more and more volatile, the explosive range growing in size. Working on the icy wall that formed in the exit, Jodi’s powerful kicks and blows barely made a dent in it. She had hoped maybe it was fragile enough to create even a small opening to the outside to call for help. 

“Hah! A new wish, o-h a peculiar one too.” 

“No! What did you wish for?” Yoshi cried out, Jodi felt her insides scrunch up. Falling from a larger and more metallic balloon was some sort of rail gun with a drill at its end. Goldfigure looked it over, touching the tip of the drill and instantly understanding exactly how to use it. 

“Now this is a great use of the wishes. I had not clue I could even do this!” 

“What the hell is that?” Jodi leapt and dodged one of the many drills that would be shot free of the rail gun. Yoshi seemed to vanish and reappear beside Goldfigure who swung the gun around and smacking them in the side of the head. They stumbled to the ground as Goldfigure prepared to shoot them in the skull. 

“No!” Jodi launched herself forward off the stone wall and slamming into Goldfigure’s spine with her ribbed forearms, something cracked, loudly. He dropped the rail gun and Yoshi rolled over, mumbling something. She felt her bod sluggishly move, but her eyes and mind moved so quickly, it had to be the adrenaline rush. 

“Worms-“ Yoshi mumbled, quickly kicking and punching Goldfigure who slowly stumbled back. Her Adrenaline rush seemed to end as Goldfigure went flying back, landing up against one of the abandoned machines. Yoshi trudged over to a balloon, standing still. 

“Yoshi.” They moved, but only to pop the balloon and claim a bottle of something, opening the cap and drinking. “Yoshi, I need to take you in-“ Something bashed her from behind, knocking her over and scraping against the broken stone. 

“Haha! Gotcha! Any wish you make is granted by ALL of the balloons! Not just one you moron! I used your healing drink wish to fix myself. Now I’ve got your pal here.” Yoshi vanished, Jodi looked for them all over, unsure of their location. Dust began to fill the air, an arm flying down through the dust and smashing into the stone tile. 

“She’s no pal of mine.” Yoshi managed to create a controlled explosion, destructive enough to smash Goldfigure into a nearby wall but not enough so to hurt Jodi. She reserved her power, watching and struggling to quietly sit up to watch them as they approached Goldfigure. Something cold dripped onto her, it was too cold to be sweat. Turning her tired head up to the sky, she saw the ice melting; the small scratches she had made in the ice were now a hole. 

“How? How could a fat fuck like you beat me? I thought you’d be struggling to breath, and unable to run… How come you’re so fast? Boulders roll down hill fast though I suppose.” Yoshi seemed to prickle up, their aura and presence sharpening like needles around them. Their hair stood on end. 

“You tried to swindle us, then you attacked us. I’ve had it with you Goldie, and there’s no one here to stop me from punching your head hard enough to squash you like a grape.” The pulled back their arm, “You’re not so funny Goldie.” thrusting their fist out, the crack of stone and tile rang, echoing off the ice chamber walls. Jodi had managed to get to them in time, pulling Yoshi’s hand just out of the way of Goldfigure’s head. Knocked out by the force of their punch, he was unhurt. 

“If you’re going to take me in, I don’t intend to hold back.” Out of nowhere, they began to punch and kick, using very basic fighting technique. Jodi gathered the last of her strength; in her mind it felt like she could see how much she had left, like a stamina gauge of some kind. Each dodge or retaliation took her energy and she felt it. Dust flew about them, their arm beside her face, they managed to grab her shoulder and pin her down to the ground. She didn’t struggle, she conserved the last of her energy for one final move to escape. “I have one last chance. You’ve heard of me. So maybe you’ve heard of this too.” Holding up their right hand, their thumb poised above their clenched fingers as if holding a button. “Bites the Dust-!” As their thumb pressed down into the invisible button Jodi managed to untangle herself from their grasp, kicking their head with her knee as she swung out. She felt the force of an explosion building up in front of her stomach. 

「Oh my god! He did it! He used the Stand?!」 Jodi fell forward, she didn’t see her life flash before her eyes, but she felt it. Every experience she had ever had was rolling through her mind and tumbling together. At first, it felt like her entire body was being pulled into a single point in space and time, sucking her through by the belly first with vacuum suction, but then it snapped and burst, tossing her back. She waited, trying to remember what happened. Opening her eyes, she found herself once again under the icy dome around the construction site. 「But it’s already melting? Am I doomed to just repeat this moment over and over again until something new happens? I hope Melanie does something about it. If anyone, it would be her. She’s smart.」 Jodi chuckled and waited for the end again. 

“Soap!” 

“What?!” Yoshi’s voice died off from a shocked scream to a bubbled muffle. Looking up from her place, 

“Jodi!” Raising her head up from her spot, Melanie had managed to scrape herself through the broken ice wall, her shirt ripping on the sharpest edges. Hopping down, she swung her arm, directing the bubbled floppy disk to float away. She stumbled and dropped down beside Jodi, her Red Bones fading out. 

“Melanie- you stopped the time loop.” 

“The what?” Melanie noticed a lump forming on Jodi’s head, scratches and cuts on her skin. “Wow you’re really hurt-Uh no! No! They’re not the real Yoshikage Kira, just like you thought before.” 

“But- he used Bites the Dust.” 

“No they didn’t, it was just a controlled explosion created by their Stand.” 

“Oh. So I guess I just got knocked out. Whoops.” Groaning as she sat up, Jodi rubbed her sore neck. Melanie looked her over and handed her some pain medicine. Downing it with some water she had been given, she wished that it would work faster. 

“Wait!” looking over to Goldfigure’s unconscious form, she sighed and noticed the handcuffs on his wrists. 

“He’s cuffed. That’s Goldfigure right?” 

“Yea, we need to be careful with that Yoshi guy though.” 

“They’re just scared, I think. They don’t know who we are, but they’ve been looking for us- The Agency I mean.” 

“How do you know all of this?” Jodi climbed back up, dusting herself off. 

“I got one of them, Ven, the one who was using the name Rohan and his Stand Heaven’s Door. That’s all I know though, everything else is sealed behind some really extensive locks and protections. I think his Stand is still active in Disk Form.” 

“I’m glad you disked them. I seriously don’t think I could have escaped. I was so tired when Yoshi pinned me down. Even though I managed to get out, their Stand was still more powerful. They could flash around and blow things up.” 

“Well, Ven has given me permission to review both of them as Disks. I had a talk with him.” 

“You spoke to him?” 

“Sort of? It was like some kind of instant messaging system, it just popped up while I was trying to break through the first layer of locks.” 

“Weird. Has that ever happened before?” 

“I’ve only just started disking people the other day, how would I know Jojo?” Sighing, she helped Jodi make her way to Goldfigure. “I’ll head back, when Head Williams shows up, only tell him that you defeated him. There was no one else here. Ok? Yoshi got away and I was never here.” 

“What? Head- What do you mean Head Williams? What about Orla?” Mel’s face scrunched up, tears beginning to fall, even as the ice melting dripped onto her. 

“I-I don’t think-“ The sound of Agency cars sliding and slamming doors called out from beyond the other side, Melanie got up and ran to her exit. “I wasn’t here and Yoshi escaped! Promise me!” 

“I promise! Go!” Melanie worded a thank you with her lips and jumped through the now wider hole in the ice dome. Jodi stumbling over to Goldfigure who still sat, slumped over and unconscious. Someone shattered the far side entrance open, Agency Ops flooding the area, Jodi pulled her badge free and held it up. Chief Love stepping in over the shattered ice. He marched over to her and looked Goldfigure over. 

“I see you caught one. This one escaped capture along with the other three.” 

“Yes sir.” 

“Oh, good job Jones!” Head Williams stepped in next, mocking her with his childish voice and clapping, taunting her. 

“Head Williams?” 

“Captain Williams.” She scrunched her eyebrows and turned to Chief Love, 

“As of this morning, he is your direct supervisor until further notice.” 

“As of this- What happened to Captain Gartner?” 

“We aren’t here to discuss that. Tell me, what happened?” Chief Love demanded. 

“I received a notification that three combatants were making their way this way, it seems only I received or answered the alert. Only this combatant, Goldfgure he’s called, appeared, the others did not show.” 

“I see. Captain, you take the suspect and I’ll handle the investigation-“ 

“No! This is my first job as Captain! It’s my right and my job to-“ 

“You will do as told. Williams. Have I made myself clear?” Williams looked like he may have just shit himself; eyes wide like frogs eyes, arms and legs held at wide stance, almost as if prepared to run. After a moment, and Chief Love’s unending and piercing gaze, Williams shuffled over and collected Goldfigure, making his way out and dumping him into a car. “Return home for now, I will have your report at Gartner’s desk by 9AM. Sharp.” 

“Yes sir.” Jodi gave him a small nod and made her way towards her way home. She only looked back once, to see Chief Love speaking to some of the operatives. 「Captain Williams? This has to be a joke. Right?」  


  


It had been a long walk home, without requesting a car. She had been hoping to avoid what she was thinking about, like why Captain Orla had been replaced with Head of Ops, Williams. A vicious, cruel little creature like that had no reason or experience to become Captain of the Junior Detectives division. She had hoped that it wasn’t at all what she was really thinking. It wouldn’t worry her for long thankfully, but not how she hoped. 

“Lorne!” Things were being blown to bits; chunks of the floor had been blown apart, the Runaway gang standing at the ready with their Stands. Yoshi and held back by a man a bit bigger than them, they were snarling and their eyes looks like a vicious beast’s, blood shot and berserk. 

“Lorne, we’re not going to hurt you!” Melanie cried out, the spinning wheels of angelic metals, Johnnie’s Stand, hovered in front of her to defend her. 

“How do we know that?!” Lorne, whom Jodi knew as the suspect Yoshi, broke free of the man’s strong arms a held their poised fingers, preparing to snap them. “BITES THE-!” Before they could shout out ‘Dust’ and finish their attack, Jodi kicked them in the gut, knocking the air from their lungs. They fell back into the man. 

“That was close.” Brittany sighed, recalling her stand, several quarters falling to the floor. They lift up and began to float around Johnnie’s Stand. 

“Too close, Melanie what the hell happened?” Jodi made her way over to Melanie, 

“I don’t know, they broke free of the disk!” “Broke fre- What?” 

“I don’t know! They just snapped free out of the disk!” Melanie was in a full panic attack, Jodi holding her arms and trying to help her friend breathe. 

“What happened here, did someone pop their bubble?” 

“No… They just, burst out.” Taking a deep breath, she looked over to the man across the room, he held Lorne and brushed their long hair from their closed eyes. 

“Who the hell are they?” Jodi watched them carefully, the man pulled free one of Goldfigure’s tracking bands off of Lorne, looking up to her. 

“My name is Ven, this is Lorne, and we’ve been looking for you. We’ve been looking for the Standing Foundation.”  


  


Goldfigure wriggled about to correct himself in the passenger seat, the keys to his cuffs tossed into his lap. 

“Thanks pal.” The car came to life as he managed to unlock the cuffs, tossing them to the side. He rubbed his wrists and looked out of the window. They were dark tinted and made the world look like a poorly contrasted film. “Oof, nearly got skinned back there, glad it was you here to get me. Don’t know if I could last in that Stand Prison.” He laughed and elbowed his friend. “Good thing you got in with the Agency before the crash of the Speedwagon Foundation.” 

“You’re useless.” 

“What?” They caught Goldfigure off guard. “You were supposed to collect the two Stand Users and the ragtag orphans. You were not supposed to get caught, again!” They boomed and the windows in the dark car shook. Goldfigure pushed back in their seat, trying to think of how to reason with them. 

“Listen, listen I got it covered. I’ll just go back to my place, I got- No No! Wait! I know! I know their location now!” The coordinates ticked into his mind, focusing on the spot where Lorne and Ven had gotten. “Listen I know where they are, I’m sure the Runaway-“BMPHPT! The passenger side window clacked with a hard thump, cracked and threatening to fall out. Goldfigure slumped over, bleeding from his forehead. 

“What a joke.” The driver shoved the body off of them and drove off. They too knew where the Runaway gang and the two others were. They had driven there several times, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to SOaP.OS  
> .  
> SoftSoap v1.5.5 beta 1 [SOaP.OS {StandardObservations.and.OperatingSystem}  
> Installed at generic monitor drive2.2/*modifieddevice2.3  
> C : \ > ver  
> .  
> .  
> . ...   
> Observations: \ >
> 
> < Name >Jodi Jones < /Name >  
> < Stats >23, Female, Gymnast Skill, Monk Class < /Stats >  
> < Stand >Red Bones < /Stand >  
> < Details >Red Bones is an armor Stand that provides a boost in physical strength, speed and defense in the user. It manifests as ribs and bone like armor covering the joints and sensitive areas on the body, such as the neck, arms, hands, knees, ribs and ankles. < /Details >  
> 01010100 01101000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01000001 01100011 01110100 00100000 00110001


	9. Systems Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melanie and Ven agree to convert and extract the data from the warehouse incident while Lorne and the Runaways help distract the SFA.

Ven had agreed to use his Stand, Nobody Knows, to subdue Lorne, long enough to allow Melanie to read their data at least. It seemed to work pretty well, until she managed to dive too deep into Lorne’s data. It was scrambled and jumbled, things were located where it normally shouldn't be, statistics were scattered in obvious files but placed in hidden document paths. 

“Their data is a mess. All I can get is their basic information.” 

“Their name is Lorne Zafeíri, 23, we lived in Pennsylvania, vacationing in New England from time to time. They weight approximately two hundred and fifty pound, about five foot five inches, dazzling blue eyes like the reflection of the night sky on a clear lake. What else do you need?” Ven shouted, holding his face and taking a deep breath. “Sorry. It hasn’t been easy.” 

“It’s ok, I’m just trying to go over any data I can to get evidence.” Melanie had paused to think, and decided to go on. There’s been a big situation going on under wraps as of late. I want to wait until it blows over to get you guys in, besides you’re both suspects in the attack on our north facility and a warehouse in the fashion district-“ 

“Wait is that warehouse yours?” he stepped forward, confused. 

“No, we don’t know who it belongs to.” 

“We were there as well, but all we know is that Goldfigure wanted the data you guys collected.” Johnnie explained as he leaned against the couch. 

“We couldn’t even access it. We hoped maybe we could get something out of it, but it’s locked by a password system, something called the SOaPOS. The only information we got was already opened in the warehouse.” Ven sighed, 

“That’s one of our Operating Systems, it’s named after my Stand. Soap can turn objects and people into bubbles or data on floppy disks. It can then go through the SOaPOS and then converted into a regular compact disc or placed into a device we call the High-Drive, a hive setup for several of our departments that supervisors have access to for missions, cases, you get it though right?” Ven nod his head and folded his arms. 

“Lorne has the Disk, but we’ll need to get it from them outside of your computer, it’s probably locked behind their data like this.” 

“You have a point.” Melanie sighed and set the Eject command, Lorne’s disk slowly rolling out. Ven prepared himself to quell Lorne’s rage. 

“I’m ready, convert them back.” Melanie took a deep breath and tossed the disk, a metallic replica of Lorne’s shape bursting free of the floppy and converting back into their true self. They fell to their feet with a heavy thud, standing up slowly. They didn’t scream or snap their fingers, there were no explosions and nothing was destroyed, they simply turned their head to look back at Melanie. 

“Here.” They held out the compact disc between two fingers, handing it over. Melanie, shocked watched them with wide eyes, taking it slowly. 

“Thank you…” 

“I could hear you, I- I just didn’t. I had to be sure.” 

“You could hear me? The whole time?” 

“Sort of. But mostly, I heard Ven.” They turned back to Ven, offering him a regretful, sour, look. “Sorry.” 

“You wrecked our place. Even while your boyfriend was telling you chill.” Jodi shook her head and tossed the broom and dustpan down beside the trash. 

“I- You have no clue what we’ve been through!” 

“Lorne-“ Ven tried to hug Lorne, but they pulled themselves free, going on. 

“We left our families behind, got attacked by other Stand Users and these things, the Beat and Rhymes.” Jodi shook her head and looked to Melanie who was just as confused. “When we finally got to California we were swindled by Goldfigure, we got what information we could from him and found the Foundation’s facility, where we were attacked and then had to deal with them.” They pointed to Johnnie and Brittany, “We managed to get out and made our way to the warehouse, we thought it was a part of the Foundation and thought we could find more information about them. We downloaded all of their data onto the disc and escaped. We’ve been hiding and just surviving for months now. How were we supposed to know you were actually part of the Foundation? How were we supposed to know that the foundation wouldn’t kill us and bleed us dry like the other Stand Users?” Lorne held their chest wiped their face. 

“That must have been really hard.” Johnnie spoke, Lorne only nod in reply. 

“They helped us escape him. If it means anything.” Joan offered, 

“It does, thank you. I’m sorry for attacking you, I just hope you understand why I did at all.” Jodi sighed and nod her head, turning to the kitchen to get some more menus. 

“Well, looks like we have a full house. Who wants pizza?” Jodi slapped down a menu to their favorite pizza place.   


  


Welcome to SOaP.OS 

Dial v1.2.8 > 5[SOaP.OS {StandardObservations.and.OperatingSystem} 

Installed at generic monitor drive2.2/*modifieddevice2.3 

C : \ > ver 

. 

. 

. 

Observations: \ >

< Files : // Documents : @ >

< F.D : >

File.Locked 

:file>exempt:/Lock:: @user[SOaP.OS:Originate] 

File.Locked 

“Damn…” Melanie scoffed and slapped her keyboard. 

“What’s wrong?” Jodi sat on the back of the armchair beside her partner. 

“Well, maybe its locked by an admin account?” 

“I mean, probably, but I’ll have to got ahold of the Admin account in order to unlock the data. The discs and OS use two different systems.” 

“How is that even possible?” Jodi chewed on her second piece of pizza. 

“The discs are protected by a line of code that’s activated on install but this one is parented to the origin processor.” 

“So what does that mean for us?” Jodi tapped her shoe. 

“The disc won’t work unless we use the same computer it was made on. Basically, it’s useless unless we use it at the warehouse.” 

“What if we snatch it for you?” Joan leaned in on the other side, Melanie tossing her can of energy drink into the air, Joan catching it with ease. 

“Uh, well it may be complicated. Some of our SOaPOS computers at work are hooked up to all sorts of devices and servers that are almost as big as this apartment; it may be impossible to get it here. 

“So what if we get you in and you can reconfigure the disc for open use?” Lorne stepped forward next beside Ven. 

“I suppose that would work. But we’d have to make sure nobody is inside.” Jodi shook her leg, but Ven spoke up. 

“I can do both. My Stand can detect people and cloak us. I can only cloak two of us though.” 

“I can set up a diversion, perhaps if the Runaway gang want to help, and your partner, uh, Jodi right?” Jodi nod, “Jodi can keep watch. Her Stand will allow her to escape quickly.” 

“What if they capture us?” Brittany barked, but Johnnie shook his head, 

“I understand. Lorne you mean to set up a diversion somewhere else don’t you, how far out?” 

“Close enough for Foundation attention, far enough to give them time. I know some tunnels we can take to hide and getaway. Ven and I have been using them for weeks now.” 

“Tunnels?” Brittany leaned over the chair, pushing Jodi aside. 

“Yea, there’s hundreds of ways under the city, some of them link up with the sewer though.” 

“That might work.” Melanie spun around in her seat. 

“I think maybe we should go get our things though first.” Ven mentioned, Lorne turning to him. 

“Yea. We shouldn’t be long.” 

“We’ll go with you, in case there’s trouble. We can hold off the Foundation to give you some time to get away.” Jodi planned out loud. 

“We appreciate it.” Ven smiled and hold Lorne’s arm, they seemed less enthusiastic about it.   


  


Somewhere in Camp Josepho was an old trailer that was usually abandoned. Inside, Ven and Lorne had built up a little life inside. Another life, another one they would have to leave behind. It smelt of citrus and flowers. There were enamel pots and pans and kettled, tapestries held up in front of the windows. A scattered pile of books had been placed here and there, lovingly set safely in these random homes. There was a computer next to a sketchbook and a lonely cup of tea on the dinner table. Herbs, plants flowers and spice had been strung up to the ceiling. It reminded Jodi of a witch’s cottage, dabbled with touches of a gamer’s pro setup. 

“This is where you’ve been staying?” 

“Yea…” Lorne entered after her, choosing which books to take with them, followed by Ven who held them gently, whispering. 

“Only take three honey.” Lorne sighed and stuffed only three books into their blue rucksack, taking a few fabric pouches, gemstones and a single notebook stuffed to the brim with scraps of paper. They pulled a single change of clothes, their toothbrush and phone charger. Waiting for Ven, he was much faster, snatching his computer, a couple crystals of his own; he had very little to collect. Together, they followed Melanie and Jodi out into the campground. From across the way, a light shined out into the grassy field, someone poked out. 

“We should leave.” Lorne took Ven’s hand, but as they hurried away a voice called out to them. 

“Jeremy? Lake, is that you?” Lorne and Ven looked to one another and then solemnly stepped toward the voice of the old woman. “My dears, where are you going? Is everything ok?” 

“Rose, we- we have to leave?” Lorne held back their sad little hiccup. 

“What’s the matter? What’s happened?” 

“Some things have happened and we need to keep moving.” 

“Has someone hurt you?” Jodi turned to Melanie who watched with sadness on her eyes and in her lips. 

“No, no we’re ok, we just need to keep moving. I’m so sorry.” Lorne began to apologize profusely; Rose hugged them both tightly before running into her house and returning with something. She shoved it into their hands and sent them off, waving goodbye as they shuffled back to Jodi and Melanie. 

“Let’s go.” Ven squeezed Lorne’s hand, both now wearing matching rings on their right hands.   


  


They had settled everyone in, setting up two rooms using shelves and paper screens under the loft. Jodi and Melanie had forgotten they even had those screens. It was a spur of the moment purchase, when they found out they were getting their own place. It was customary for the Agency to provide dormitory spaces for younger agents in the training facilities. Agents eighteen and up were granted a higher wage of pay to go towards an apartment spacious enough for their work and living needs. 

Early the next day, Ven, Melanie and Jodi would head to the warehouse. Meanwhile, Lorne, Johnnie, Brittany and Joan would create a diversion in Canoga Park, west of HQ. 

“Ok, we’re just outside the warehouse. Let us know when you start.” Jodi had found an old army walky-talky her dad used to keep. He had given them to her when he found out she would be joining the Agency. One had been given to Joan who would wait between the Warehouse Team and Distraction team; she would relay messages between the two. 

“Gotcha, relaying.” Joan switched over to the next station, “Team D, ready for action on Team W.” 

“Ok, Lorne is going to scatter some debris in the park, Brittany is going to knock the caps off fire hydrants. I’ll do both. I’ll radio back in if we have trouble.” 

“Roger! Oh, and Johnnie?” “Yes?” 

“Be careful bro.” 

“Will do.” Johnnie hooked the walky onto his hip, setting himself up into an alleyway, facing both the park and the street. Lorne waited besides a tiny brick building, it was one of the escape tunnels they had mentioned. Brittany sat outside a little café’, sipping on an ice-cold sweet hibiscus tea, two trays beside her, a drink for each of the others. Johnnie flicked his fingers up, his Stand hovering upwards, glittering in the sunlight. 

Jodi, Melanie and Ven had just finished with Joan, Melanie and Ven vanishing from Jodi’s sight. It wasn’t quite like losing sight of them; it felt much more like her eyes refused to see them. Like her brain was deleting them from memory instantly. 

“They’re heading in now.” 

“Ok Jojo!” Joan cheerfully responded. It was odd to them that absolutely no one was near the facility. Melanie had explained that, normally, the Agency would station two guards inside the facility, just behind the doors out of public view. Entering, they found no one. Not a soul. Ven kept up the cloaking, holding onto a small squid creature under a hooded cloak. It looked like a cthulhu plush. 

“Is that your Stand?” She asked as they made their way deeper into the warehouse by Ven’s lead. 

“Yep, this is NK.” It waved its stubby, scaly hand. It resembled a green scaly teddy bear with a nautilus for a head, a jeweled twig in its other hand. 

“How far did you guys have to go in to get the disc?” 

“Not very far, it’s just down here.” Ven showed her into a room in the basement, it was filled with technology, a single computer with scattered modems and servers about the room. 

“Oh yea. I knew it would be too much to carry out.” Ven let down their cloaking, standing beside the desk as Melanie began to boot it up. The room slowly began to glow as each of the alien servers began to start up. 

“We’re in, no problems.” Melanie called into the walky, “Ven do you sense anyone in here?” 

“No, just some small things, a small group of rats I think.” 

“Ok, were’ good Jojo.” 

“Great, I don’t see anyone outside, I’ll reach out to Joan.” Melanie and Ven waited for the computer to startup, but it was slow, waiting for each of the servers to kickstart. Something crashed, one of the servers went dark instantly and subsequently each one after that had been lit up. 

“What happened?” 

“I don’t know, let me- Ok. It looks like the server that crashed needs some kind of system reset. Usually on the Agency servers there’s a red blue and green switch, try switching the red one for me?” Ven hurried off to the servers. Lorne, John and Brittany were busy smashing fire hydrants and tearing up the dirt in the park. Not long after, the sirens rang out, and with them, black, unmarked vehicles with an SFA insignia on the hood. Johnnie had moved over to Lorne and called for Brittany. She made a it a stroll, carrying each of the trays filled with coffees and teas. With a key Lorne had once commandeered, they unlocked the colonial looking shed of brick, shutting and locking the door behind them. 

“Joan?” Johnnie helped Lorne open up a hatch below some boxes, letting Brittany hop in first. “Joan?” 

“Yea, I’m here!” 

“Joan we’re leaving the area, we’re gunna head to Goldfigure’s place and see if they’re still working on his place.” 

“Ok, I’ll let W Team know!” 

“We’ll call back in with an update ok?” 

“Ok, be safe.” She reminded them, switching back over. 

“W Team, they’re leaving Canoga onto the next location.” 

“Thanks Joan, you head over now too ok?” 

“Sure thing! Over and out!” Joan’s next goal was to reach a spot between the fashion district and the Villas. Back underground, Ven wiped the sweat from his face, his shirt soaked. Melanie was trying to cool herself down too. 

“Ok, I think that should do it.” Melanie watched the computer start up much quicker now. Just as Ven stepped up to the computer setup, it began to upload some kind of script message and everything went dark again. 

“What happened?” 

“I think the system is overheating…” Melanie groaned. Ven growled and pulled out a lighter, thinking for a moment he looked down to his teammate. 

“If you bubble this will it still hold the fire? Like a lantern?” 

“No, but it was a good idea.” She sighed and sat back up. 

“Well, we better go find a fuse box.” Searching the desk, she managed to find a flashlight, it was sticky with soda and flickered, but it was better than nothing. Luckily, there was a map next to the stairway, showing the where to go. The fuse box was just a room over, thankfully. They toiled and struggled to reset the power, sometimes fuses would burst and they were running low.   


  


Lorne and Johnnie waited for Joan’s signal, as soon as she had called in, they hurried up the road to the Villa De Leon. It looked as though nobody had been there at all. The gates were locked, and not a soul could be seen nearby. 

“Joan, we don’t see anybody, we’re heading in.” 

“Gotcha.” Lorne snapped their fingers and the lock burst clean, as if it had been erased, the gate swinging in. 

“Is that the power of your Stand? Controlled erasure?” Johnnie watched confused, following behind. 

“It creates controlled explosions.” Lorne explained plainly, peeping over the windowpane into the empty villa. Snapping again, the glass now had a hole large enough for them to crawl in. On the floor, Lorne picked themself up and helped Johnnie get in. 

“We have about ten seconds to punch in the code-“Johnnie rushed over to the entrance, 

“What is it?” 

“What?” 

“What’s the code?” Lorne was beside him, watching the alarm system. 

“8576.” The device beeped and Johnnie held his head, a foggy sense of adrenaline rushing him. 

“We’re all set.” Lorne hurried around the building, looking for everything and anything Goldie or the Agency may have left behind. They found very little, just a single bedroom was set with furniture. Lorne began by taking a loose silk shirt, using it to pick up things without leaving fingerprints. 

“I don’t think we’re going to find anything.” 

“Goldfigure used to keep a journal that he used to document everything.” Johnnie pulled on a pair of Goldie’s gloves, digging through the wardrobe and closet. Lorne took a deep breath, and once again Johnnie held his head. 

“Ugh, what’s going on?” 

“Found it.” there were things scattered around Lorne, drawers and opened boxes, even the mattress had been pulled out. 

“How did you-?” 

“Guys we have a problem!” Lorne tossed the mattress back into place, throwing the trashed things into boxes as Johnnie replied. 

“What’s happened?”   


  


Ven held Melanie’s arm, both holding their breath. An SFA agent stepped passed them, looking around the room. Melanie’s eyes flickered, watching the computer screen flashing as the disk converted over to a more universal format. 

“Captain?” They spoke into a walky, 

“Uh what?” Melanie gasped audibly, Joan’s voice coming through the radio. Ven squeezing her arm gently to remind her to calm down, to be still. 

“Captain?” They asked, a little confused. 

“Yes? What?” Joan had managed to deepen her voice a little and somehow added static. 

“Captain, someone is here, they’re doing something with the computer.” 

“Be still and exit facility.” 

“Captain?” 

“You heard me! March!” The agent made their way up into the front room up on the top floor. Melanie waited a moment and glided over to the desk, watching the conversion nearly complete. 

“Fucking morons!” collapsing at the bottom of the metal stairs, Melanie held her mouth, quickly rushing back over to Ven. From the stairs the heavy footfalls of a beastly man banged and clanked, echoing out into the room. Melanie tried to contain her horror as Head of Ops Christopher Williams stepped in. The agent groaned and cried out as Williams kicked their helmet. “I DID NOT CALL FOR YOU TO EVACUATE.” He screamed into his walky and down at the agent who held their head with the screaming echoing in their helmets. Ven wanted to run, Melanie shivering beside him. They waited. “Hehehe… Oh, this is good.” He forcefully ejected the disc; Melanie felt it in her chest. It was either now incomplete, or worse, corrupted. Before she could do anything, he snickered and something launched free from his arm, saw blades spinning and grinding against all of the machines, destroying nearly everything in it’s rampaging onslaught. Laughing maniacally, Head Williams destroyed every last server, every device related to the SOaPOS. When the blades stopped, and the din of blades slicing through metal and wires silenced, he stuffed the disc into his coat pocket, marching back up the stairs. Melanie’s eyes filled with tears, her stomach and heart burning, aching. It felt like she had just witnessed a murder, the corpses of each server, slumped and mangled. Their guts, their wires, spilled free of their ribs, the metal framework, she couldn’t see beyond it anthropomorphized. Data is what she worked with, data and machines was what she knew. In the flashing red light, coming from the dying systems, Ven saw the coolant system fluid as blood, pooling about on the concrete floor. 

The agent soon dragged himself up and out of the warehouse. When Ven sensed they had all left, he let go of Melanie who rushed to the computer and tried to pull up any of the data, anything at all. 

“No! No! NO!” Slamming her fists into the desk, keys from the keyboard flew about, dropping and scrambling about. Sparks flying out of the opened machinery. “We have nothing now. It was all for nothing, and now that-that monster has it, all of it!” 

“What was that?” 

“His Stand… Down System.” Melanie cried and held onto her throat, fearing what may come next. 

“You seem like you knew him?” 

“He’s our boss now…” 

“He’s your boss?” Ven’s voice cracked with panic in his eyes, Melanie watched him curiously, trying to understand what he meant.   


  


“Ven and Melanie are leaving. Head back to the apartment gang.” Joan called over the radio, Lorne, Johnnie and Brittany hopped into a cab, making their way back, Lorne visibly relaxing after Joan’s message. 

“I’m certain Ven would be ok, his Stand is quite interesting.” 

“Dude can just vanish, I don’t even understand why you were worried.” Brittany scoffed and handed them each their coffee. 

“I worry. I can’t help it.” They sipped on their coffee and Johnnie relaxed a little as well. 

“I understand. Joan wasn’t even close to danger, and I worried for her too.” 

“Oh you weren’t worried about me?” Brittany snapped, 

“I’m always worried about you.” Lorne gave a little laugh and continued to drink, Brittany barking and snapping, only to make Johnnie and Lorne laugh a bit more until she gave up and pouted with her serpent-like Stand, Rainbow, hanging off her shoulders. 

Once they had all gathered, Lorne held Ven’s hand tightly, the siblings sat beside one another and Melanie beside Jodi. 

“We lost the data. Down System, Captain William’s Stand, it destroyed all of the machines. He took the disc out before it could even finish downloading too, so even if we snuck in to get it, it’s probably corrupted.” Melanie sighed, 

“We got Goldie’s journal. It contains some info that could be useful.” 

“Gain some, you lose some.” Brittany pouted. 

“Oh SHIT!” Jodi jumped up from her spot and paced around. 

“What?” everyone cried out. Before she could answer, the television turned on, Chief Love’s angry glare on the screen. Ven gasped and grabbed both Lorne and the Runaway gang, pulling all of them and vanishing from view. 

“He can’t see you guys until I accept the call, go to your rooms, go!” 

“Jones! Answer the call!” Chief Love boomed, shaking the glass in the walls. 

“Go!- Yes sir!” Jodi heard the shuffle of feet but saw nothing behind them. Finally accepting the call. 

“Your report was missing, neither you nor Crier arrived for our discussion with each division today. I do not want excuses. Arrive tomorrow morning, 7AM, being late will cause your immediate suspension! AM. I. CLEAR?” 

“Yes, sir.” Jodi went stoic, holding her breath, Melanie watching from out of frame, too afraid to make her way over. The call ended and Jodi tossed the remote. 

“Jodi?” 

“What do you want for dinner? I want sushi and some of those dango treats.” Jodi snatched up her wallet, storming out of the apartment. The others stepped out from their hiding spot. 

“That actually sounds really good.” Lorne remarked, Melanie sighing. 

“There’s a hibachi place nearby too, tonight is half priced.” She explained.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to SOaP.OS  
> .  
> SoftSoap v1.5.5 beta 1 [SOaP.OS {StandardObservations.and.OperatingSystem}  
> Installed at generic monitor drive2.2/*modifieddevice2.3  
> C : \ > ver  
> .  
> .  
> . ...  
> Observations: \ >  
> < Name > Melanie Crier < /Name >  
> < Stats >20, Female, Data and Observation Skill, Analyst Class < /Stats >  
> < Stand > Soap < /Stand >  
> < Details > Soap is able to create bubbles to contain things, bounce, float or convert something into data. Soap is also able to make hyper-focused analysis of something or someone from a short study. < /Details >  
> 01010100 01101000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01101001 01110011 00100000 01010011 01110100 01100001 01100111 01100101 00100000 00110001


End file.
